Here's a timeline for commodity production company. A commodity trader is a person or company who invests in physical commodities such as oil, gold, or agricultural products. Expected economic trends or arbitrage opportunities in the commodities markets can drive day-to-day buying and selling. Commodity markets often trade in the main economic sector, which includes industries that profit from the extraction of natural resources. The buying and sale of futures contracts accounts for the majority of commodity trade, however physical trading and derivatives trading are also common.