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using stock markets in europe, how can i buy commodities / resources, to diversify my portfolio?
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i recommend avoiding trading directly in commodities futures and options.  if you're not prepared to learn a lot about how futures markets and trading works, it will be an experience fraught with pitfalls and lost money – and i am speaking from experience. looking at stock-exchange listed products is a reasonable approach for an individual investor desiring added diversification for their portfolio.  still, exercise caution and know what you're buying. it's easy to access many commodity-based exchange-traded funds (etfs) on north american stock exchanges.  if you already have low-cost access to u.s. markets, consider this option – but be mindful of currency conversion costs, etc. yet, there is also a european-based company, etf securities, headquartered in jersey, channel islands, which offers many exchange-traded funds on european exchanges such as london and frankfurt.  etf securities started in 2003 by first offering a gold commodity exchange-traded fund. i also found the following: london stock exchange: frequently asked questions about etcs.  the lse etc faq specifically mentions "etf securities" by name, and addresses questions such as how/where they are regulated, what happens to investments if "etf securities" were to go bankrupt, etc. i hope this helps, but please, do your own due diligence.
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