Bloomberg – Speculators increased wagers on rising commodity prices by the most since August 2010 on signs that sustained economic growth will drive a rebound in raw materials from their first annual slump since the recession.
Hedge funds and other money managers increased combined net-long positions across 18 U.S. futures and options by 18 percent to 536,907 contracts in the week ended Dec. 27, Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show. Soybean holdings jumped more than ninefold and those for corn reached a five-week high. Speculators trimmed bets on declining prices for copper, cocoa, wheat, and soybean oil and meal.
