Some exposure is advised to food stocks, similar to what is usually given to oil sector, as a form of insurance, said Marc Elliott, energy transition investment specialist at Union Bancaire Privee in Geneva. “Investing in agricultural names is perhaps a good way to hedge against climate change and certain geopolitical risks.”
Agriculture stocks are beating their global peers this quarter as extreme weather, the war in Ukraine and rising protectionism drive up food prices. Exposure to the sector is a good hedge for inflation, some investors say.
An index tracking total returns from select agricultural producers has outperformed the broader MCSI World Index by about three percentage points since the start of July, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The industry has outperformed as a gauge of food commodity prices posted its biggest gain in 16 months last month.
