ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund: Should You Add to the Watchlist 2026?

The sentiment in the Indian stock market is changing. After a strong rally over the past few years, the market is slowly becoming cycle-driven rather than broad-based. Although some industries are still performing, others are facing earnings challenges because of increasing costs, global uncertainties, and muted demand. At the same time, inflation fears have not yet dissipated and real assets remain in the spotlight. During such stages, commodities become relevant. Prices of metals, energy, and commodities have a cyclical pattern based on global growth, geopolitical events, and supply-side factors. The Indian government’s sustained focus on infrastructure development, manufacturing, and energy diversification will further boost the prospects for businesses linked to commodities. This leads to a situation where commodity stocks experience cycles of sharp outperformance followed by consolidation, thus making them highly cyclical and impactful. Against this backdrop, the ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund is positioned as a means for equity investors to tap into the commodity cycle without having to trade commodities directly. The critical question, however, is whether this fund is relevant to an investor’s portfolio at this point in the market cycle. Fund Overview Launched in October 2019, ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund is an open-ended thematic equity mutual fund that focuses on companies linked to the commodities value chain. The scheme has seen multiple commodity cycles — from global slowdowns to sharp upswings driven by inflation, infrastructure demand, and geopolitical events. As per the latest available portfolio disclosures, the fund manages an AUM of Rs 34.09 bn, reflecting sustained investor interest whenever the commodity theme gains momentum. Being a thematic fund, its AUM tends to move in phases, closely tracking sentiment and outlook toward commodity-linked sectors. The fund invests 96% of its assets in equity portion out of which 3.7% is in overseas equities. For liquidity purposes, it invests up to 3.7% in cash and cash equivalents. Since its inception, the fund has delivered a 28.68% CAGR as of 21 January 2026. The fund is currently managed by Senior Equity Fund Manager Lalit Kumar since July 2020. Kumar has a PGDM from IIM Calcutta, a B. Tech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur, and has over 14 years of experience. ICICI Pru Commodities Fund – Snapshot Source: ACE MF What is the Investment Strategy of ICICI Pru Commodities Fund? To achieve its investment objective, the scheme follows an active, equity-oriented investment strategy focused on companies that are directly or indirectly linked to the commodities ecosystem. Unlike commodity ETFs or fund-of-funds structures, the scheme does not aim to replicate any single commodity or index. Instead, it seeks to benefit from different phases of the commodity cycle through stock selection. From a strategy perspective, the fund combines: Top-down analysis, to identify favourable commodity trends driven by inflation, global growth, policy decisions, and geopolitical factors Bottom-up stock selection, focusing on companies with strong balance sheets, cost efficiency, pricing power, and the ability to sustain profitability across cycles The cost structure is limited to the expense ratio charged by the fund, making it operationally simpler than direct commodity investments. The fund is managed by an experienced fund management team, with responsibilities that include navigating global commodity cycles, sector rotation, and stock-specific risks. Over the years, the scheme has seen changes in fund management, which is common for long-running thematic funds. What is the Portfolio of ICICI Pru Commodities Fund? The portfolio includes sectors like metals & mining, oil & gas, energy, cement, and other materials. It carries higher allocation to Iron & Steel (32.03%), Chemicals (28.36%), Non-Ferrous Metals (15.51%) and Construction Materials (14.62%). The fund’s top holdings typically include large commodity players, along with selective exposure to mid-cap companies where the fund manager sees favourable risk-reward opportunities. Vedanta (8.72%), Jindal Steel (8.4%), JSW Steel (7.5%), and Jindal Stainless Steel (7.2%). What Are the Historical Returns of ICICI Pru Commodities Fund? Commodity-oriented equity funds, as a category, tend to deliver uneven but rewarding returns over market cycles. Their performance is closely linked to global growth, inflation trends, supply constraints, and domestic infrastructure demand. As a result, the returns are usually strong during commodity upcycles and relatively muted during downcycles. Over the last 3 years, ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund has delivered a CAGR of 19.56%, outperforming its benchmark, the Nifty Commodities TRI, which posted a 16.14% CAGR during the same period. This phase broadly captures a favourable commodity environment driven by the post-pandemic recovery and elevated input prices. Looking at the 5-year horizon, the fund has delivered a CAGR of 34.28%, significantly higher than the benchmark return of 24.83% CAGR. This highlights the fund’s ability to benefit from commodity rallies through active stock selection across metals, energy, cement, and related sectors. Data as of January 21, 2026 (Source: ACE MF) What About the Risk Profile of ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund? On the risk-o-meter, ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund is classified as a high-risk equity fund. This is due to its concentrated exposure to commodity-linked sectors, which are inherently cyclical and sensitive to global macroeconomic developments. Commodity prices could be influenced by factors such as: Changes in global demand and supply Inflation and interest rate trends Geopolitical events and trade policies Currency movements As per the latest data, ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund has a standard deviation of 14.73, marginally lower than the benchmark’s 15.04, indicating the fund has exhibited volatility levels broadly in line with the commodity index. The risk-adjusted performance, reflected by a Sharpe ratio of 0.26 and a Sortino ratio of 0.53, is slightly better than the benchmark, suggesting better return generation for the risk assumed during favourable commodity phases. Overall, the fund’s risk profile remains on the higher side and is suitable only for investors who are comfortable with sector-specific volatility and understand the cyclical nature of commodity-driven equity investments. Should You Add ICICI Pru Commodities Fund to Your 2026 Watchlist? ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund could be considered as a satellite allocation, not a core equity holding. Given its concentrated exposure to commodity-linked sectors, the fund has a high-risk, high-reward profile. Its performance is closely tied to commodity cycles rather than broad market trends. In the current dynamic market environment—where equity returns are becoming more selective and inflation and global supply factors remain relevant—the fund could play a supporting role in diversifying a well-constructed core portfolio. That said, allocation to such a fund should be measured and tactical, ideally limited to a small portion of the overall equity allocation and aligned with an investor’s risk appetite and investment horizon. For investors who understand sector cycles and are prepared for periods of volatility, ICICI Prudential Commodities Fund may be worth tracking in 2026. The key takeaway is clear. This is a cycle-driven opportunity, suitable only as part of a broader core–satellite strategy, and not a substitute for diversified long-term equity exposure. Invest wisely. Happy investing. Table Note: Data as of January 21, 2026 The securities quoted are for illustration only and are not recommendatory Past performance is not an indicator for future returns. Returns are on rolling CAGR basis and in %. Direct Plan-Growth option. Those depicted over 1-Yr are compounded annualised. Risk ratios are calculated over a 3-year period assuming a risk-free rate of 6% p.a. Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. It is not a stock recommendation and should not be treated as such. Learn more about our recommendation services here… The website managers, its employee(s), and contributors/writers/authors of articles have or may have an outstanding buy or sell position or holding in the securities, options on securities or other related investments of issuers and/or companies discussed therein. The content of the articles and the interpretation of data are solely the personal views of the contributors/ writers/authors. Investors must make their own investment decisions based on their specific objectives, resources and only after consulting such independent advisors as may be necessary