trading/investing in commodities - why do/have people prefer equities?

[Brad1970]

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Buying index funds is like 2/4 limit - any idiot can do it and you don't have to know what you're doing. Trading futures is like high stakes no limit - you have to be bankrolled well and know what you're doing.

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Pig makes a good point here...why try to compete with a bunch of commodity experts for a few short term gains when you could do just as well by taking the long term view & sticking those same dollars into mutual/index funds.