HO
The most thrilling blockbuster of the summer is playing out in your stock portfolio.
The drama began early this year when hopes of faster global growth propelled prices for many commodities higher. Then came the European debt crisis and the threat of a Greek default, which darkened the economic outlook.
In response, prices for the base metals used by industry plunged while gold, the traditional refuge for panicked investors, soared.
The plot thickened as China took measures to cool its red-hot economy.
Then came floods in key farm areas, which sent wheat and coffee prices soaring, as well as the appearance of "Choc Finger," the hedge fund manager who bought enough cocoa to create five billion chocolate bars - and an unexpected bull market for the confectionery ingredient.
The result? A market in which copper, nickel and natural gas - commodities tied to economic growth - have lost ground since the start of the year, while gold and many agricultural products have climbed. Stay tuned.