Most investors take great interest in the daily live commodities prices, whether they are looking at immediate delivery or futures. The differences in commodity spot prices and those for future delivery can fluctuate rapidly dependent on so many different outside influences. Investing in the commodities market is very much like investing in stocks: at best an educated guess that is based not only on what the market may bring, but on what has happened in the past. A wise investor will take both of these into account.

The one thing that many investors fail to consider is just how much outside occurrences can influence world commodity prices. This may be a key to many of the problems that are experienced when dealing with the commodities market and has been the cause of many to lose their investments. As a rule, live commodities prices tend to fluctuate somewhat during the course of the business day, this is quite normal and is how investors make their money.

When current commodity prices are trading under normal conditions, the price fluctuations are minor; however the commodities market is only subjected to certain amount of regulation here in the US and almost none in the foreign trade markets. The US market regulations tend to keep these fluctuations under control as the government has a large say in the overall growth of commodities and their value. Since many foreign markets are "self" governed,  they are ripe for misuse of trust and can be more easily manipulated.

Since live commodities prices are based on current sales of "for delivery" and futures commodities, the price can be easily driven up with a single buyer or group of buyers placing their orders. Since no money must actually change hands until close of business, the market price can be driven up and then the orders resold for a tremendous profit.

While this type of market manipulation is frowned upon and in the US not strictly legal, the records show that it happens far more frequently than it should. This type of control over the spot price of commodities can have a disastrous effect not only on the value of commodity mutual funds, but on the end price of consumer goods without benefiting the producer of the original commodity in the slightest.

If you are planning to invest in commodities in any way, you will need to use one of the many platforms that are designed to feed you live commodities prices to help you keep a very close eye on the markets so that you can take advantage of any spikes in prices before they peak and start to fall, which the majority do even after a bull run on the market. Investing is a risk, but the markets need more regulation to help reduce the risks, especially for smaller investors.