Commodities are sought after by investors. What's not to like about corn, crude oil, or gold?

Some commodities have been on a tear in recent months, while others have significantly fallen off their highs. In fact, the Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index, a global commodity benchmark tracking 19 commodities mostly traded in the U.S., is down 32 percent from its all-time high back in July 2008.

So far in 2011, the CRB index is off 3.8 percent, compared with an 8.2 percent loss for the S&P 500. Despite that trend, several individual commodities continue to sharply outperform the broader market year-to-date, boosting equities and indexes particularly exposed to fluctuating commodity prices.

CNBC’s Analytics Team compiled a list of the 10 best and worst performing commodities in the CRB index, based on the closing prices on Aug. 5, 2011. Click ahead to learn about the hot, and not so hot, commodities of 2011.

By Giovanny Moreano
Posted 8 Aug 2011

Note: Original prices listed are intraday prices as of 10:10 a.m. on Aug. 8. Prices are subject to change throughout the day.

Percent Change in 2011: -10.2 percent 
Closing Price: $3.916/million thermal units

52-Week High: $4.847
52-Week Low: $3.292

Related Exchange Traded Fund (ETF): GAZ, -19% year-to-date (YTD)
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Percent Change in 2011: +11.8 percent 
Closing Price: $7.03/bushel

52-Week High: $7.87
52-Week Low: $4.09

Related ETF: CORN, +17 percent YTD
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Percent Change in 2011: +13.5 percent 
Closing Price: $2.8748/gallon

52-Week High: $3.3197
52-Week Low: $1.9537

Related ETF: UHN, +10 percent YTD
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Percent Change in 2011: +13.6 percent 
Closing Price: $2.7520/gallon

52-Week High: $3.3984
52-Week Low: $1.8093

Related ETF: UGA, +12% YTD
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Percent Change in 2011: -14.5 percent 
Closing Price: $6.79/bushel

52-Week High: $8.86
52-Week Low: $6.1225

Related ETF: JJG, -7 percent
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Percent Change in 2011: +15 percent 
Closing Price: $90.85/pound

52-Week High: $102.03
52-Week Low: $65.2

Related ETF: GSG, -6 percent YTD
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Percent Change in 2011: -17 percent 
Closing Price: $26.71/pound

52-Week High: $35.31
52-Week Low: $17.73

Related ETF: SGG, -4 percent YTD
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Percent Change in 2011: +20 percent 
Closing Price: $1,701.2/ounce

52-Week High: $1,716.7
52-Week Low: $1,198

Related ETF: GLD, +20 percent YTD
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Percent Change in 2011: +27 percent 
Closing Price: $39.47/ounce

52-Week High: $48.583
52-Week Low: $17.902

Related ETF: SLV, +27 percent YTD
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Percent Change in 2011: -31 percent 
Closing Price: $1.0004/pound

52-Week High: $2.1414
52-Week Low: $0.8006

Related ETF: BAL, -16 percent YTD
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