Skip to main content

Metals prices come off the boil in December

The prices of most metals rose last year, but industrial metals substantially outperformed precious. While we had always been positive on the outlook for metals in 2016, even we were surprised by the scale of the rally. Indeed, we are now concerned that the prevailing optimism about demand could prove unfounded. As such, the prices of industrial metals, in particular, may ease back as optimism fades. That said, supply will be a differentiating factor. At the same time, more aggressive tightening by the Fed in response to some of Trump's more inflationary policies is likely to weigh on the gold price in 2017.

Become a client to read more

This is premium content that requires an active Capital Economics subscription to view.

Already have an account?

You may already have access to this premium content as part of a paid subscription.

Sign in to read the content in full or get details of how you can access it

Register for free

Sign up for a free account to:

  • Unlock additional content
  • Register for Capital Economics events
  • Receive email updates and economist-curated newsletters
  • Request a free trial of our services


Get access