The list of exchange-traded options has grown rapidly and now includes a broad range of agricultural commodities, precious metals, energy products, financial instruments, and foreign currencies.  The following is a partial listing by category.

 · Agricultural Commodities:
Corn, Wheat, Soybeans, Cotton, Lumber, Coffee, Sugar, Cocoa, Orange Juice, Live Cattle, Pork Bellies, Lean Hogs, and many more.
(These can often provide a leading economic indicator of inflation or deflation.)

· Metals:
Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium, and Copper
(Prices often rise sharply during periods of inflation and decline during recessions; they can be volatile in either direction in times of economic uncertainty.)

· Energy products:
Crude Oil, Heating Oil, Unleaded Gasoline, and Natural Gas
(As history has shown, prices can move rapidly and substantially in response to political and economic events.)

· Interest rates:
U.S. Treasury Bonds, U.S. Treasury Notes, U.S. Treasury Bills, Municipal Bond Index, and Eurodollars
(Even relatively small changes in interest rates can result in major changes in the market value of fixed income investments.)

· Common stock indexes:
S&P 500 (Standard & Poor's Index of 500 common stocks), NASDAQ 100 Index, and New York Stock Exchange Composite Index
(Indexes reflect increases and decreases in the overall market value of common stocks.)

· Currencies:
British Pound, Euro Currency, Swiss Franc, Japanese Yen, Canadian Dollar, and U.S. Dollar Index
(Trade balances, relative economic strength, and government policies can influence the value of foreign currencies in relation to the dollar.)

There are many, many more futures markets than can be listed here. If you are interested in whether a market exists for a product you are interested in, ask your broker. Also, some markets are much more liquid or volatile than others. Your broker should be able to help guide your decision making depending on your personal investment objectives.