Gold is not the only shiny yellowish metal that investors sometimes find attractive. Copper, though not a precious metal, is widely used in industry and has a value that fluctuates with global demand. Growing economies in China, India and elsewhere act to increase world demand, while an international recession can reduce demand. You can invest in copper by buying stocks that reflect the value of this everyday metal.
Purchase shares of stocks in companies that are heavily involved in copper and that trade on U.S. stock exchanges. Contact your broker to buy shares or use an online trading account. Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold trades under the symbol FCX and mines copper in Indonesia as well as North and South America. Southern Copper Corporation (SCCO) operates mines in Mexico and Peru. Tech Resources (TCK) and BHP Billiton (BHP) are other mining and exploration firms with assets in copper that trade in the U.S.
Purchase shares in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds or exchange-traded notes with a focus on minerals and metals that include copper. For examples, the Sentry Mining Opportunities Class Fund invests in copper mining and other metals mining operations around the world. The Dow Jones UBS Copper Subindex is an investment fund tightly focused on copper futures.
Contact a broker that specializes in trading shares on foreign exchanges to help you invest in non-US shares of companies involved in copper. Examples include Xstrata on the London Exchange, Jiangxi Copper Company in Hong Kong and Ivanhoe Mines on the Toronto Stock Exchange.