Used to...you could know that price was bound by zero to the downside. That allowed for a certain amount of confidence in being able to control risk, which, in turn, allowed for an investment strategy in commodities. You know, you could buy low and hold knowing your absolute risk was bound by zero. The risk on a contract of grains at 5 dollars a bushel was 25K. If you wanted to you could back one grain contract selling for 5 dollars with 25K and let it ride...appropriate roll not included.

Since the foray into the depths below zero...the security of zero is gone. Nobody not intending to take delivery should have been holding the contract month in crude that went subzero...I don't guess. What it meant to them I do not know. Perhaps someone with that knowledge would explain.

But to the small investor...who wants to wake up to Minus Nine Buck Beans one day? Maybe that doesn't even apply to anything else as a farmer would just let crops rot or leave animals in the field or slaughter them so they don't have to feed them???

So, anybody want to buy crude for the long pull at these prices...before subzero, the answer to that question would have been...that's worth a hard look. Stock up on 6 dollar a bbl crude...yea...and let it ride. Not now...might wake up with price at -40 bucks again. Whatever the hell that means. i guess you'd have to pay somebody the equivalent to whatever -40 bucks per bbl is to take it off your hands???