Gold continues to prove its value as a safe-haven asset for investors navigating heightened risks and market volatility this year. Its strong price performance and growing demand underscore gold’s role in diversifying portfolios, making the Neuberger Berman Commodity Strategy ETF (NBCM) an attractive choice for those seeking broad commodity exposure anchored by gold.
As markets faced significant downturns in 2025, gold’s stability as a store of value drew substantial investor interest. Increased inflows into gold ETFs drove prices higher, with gold reaching record highs during the tariff-triggered market turmoil in April. The precious metal has sustained momentum into June amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.
On Monday, spot gold prices rose again, responding to renewed trade tensions between China and the U.S., alongside rising geopolitical risks and economic concerns. This risk-off environment bolsters gold’s appeal as a protective asset.
Peter Grant, Vice President and Senior Metals Strategist at Zanier Metals, told Reuters, “The latest tariff threats, including plans to double steel and aluminum tariffs to 50%, coupled with recent conflict developments in Ukraine, have escalated geopolitical risks and intensified risk-off investor sentiment.”
While optimism over trade eased gold’s rapid gains in May, fresh tariff threats and geopolitical instability suggest the precious metal’s price momentum could remain robust.
Diversify Commodity Exposure with NBCM
For investors looking to benefit from gold’s momentum while diversifying across commodities, NBCM offers a compelling solution. The actively managed fund has delivered noncorrelated performance this year, gaining ground during several market pullbacks. Year-to-date, NBCM has outperformed the S&P 500 (tracked by SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust – SPY) by nearly 5 percentage points.
NBCM targets total returns through a diversified commodity portfolio, using a risk-weighted strategy designed to mitigate volatility. The fund emphasizes commodity scarcity and hedges against backwardation and shifts in demand dynamics.
Spanning six sectors and 28 commodities globally, NBCM’s largest holdings include gold at 18.22% as of May 30, 2025. Other significant allocations are copper (7.54%), natural gas (5.13%), and corn (4.95%). Fund managers leverage quantitative models and fundamental analysis to identify short- and long-term opportunities, optimizing roll yields across long and short positions in commodities and investment-grade fixed income securities.
The fund carries a competitive expense ratio of 0.65%, offering investors a balanced approach to commodity exposure anchored by gold’s enduring appeal.
