What's even riskier is allowing the government to remove that liquidity from the market.  Market forces, not speculation, is what causes prices to rise and fall.  Trading in commodities futures merely ensures future availability by encouraging the wise allocation of resources over time. Interference in the futures market will only result in shortages of supply and even higher prices in the future.  All the regulation in the world isn't going to change the laws of economics.  Congress may as well pass legislation to prevent the sun from rising tomorrow.