Commodities Chart Pack New Year rally comes to an abrupt end Commodity prices fell back in February due to worries about the global economy, renewed tensions in the euro-zone and fears of an early halt to QE in the US. These factors were reflected in a stronger... 4th March 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Upbeat start to the year Further signs of an improvement in the Chinese economy, combined with data indicating that the euro-zone will probably fare better in Q1 than in Q4 2012, have helped to lift commodity prices so far in... 4th February 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Bullish headlines conceal underlying weaknesses The performances of many commodity prices have been more nuanced than the headlines might suggest. This is clearest in the case of agriculturals, where far more attention is still being paid to the... 3rd January 2013 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Industrial metals recover, but upside looks limited Metals prices rallied in November, helped by the general improvement in market sentiment and some better economic data from China. However, global sentiment remains fragile and China’s recovery still... 3rd December 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Prices start to fall to more sustainable levels Commodity prices mostly declined last month, led by the industrial metals most sensitive to macroeconomic and financial conditions. The main exception was US natural gas, whose price recovered further... 1st November 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Boost from QE3 already starting to fade Confirmation of the launch of QE3 by the US Fed appears to have marked at least a temporary peak in many commodity prices, with the focus quickly returning to the underlying weaknesses in economic and... 1st October 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Support from QE3 to be short-lived Commodity prices were supported in August by expectations of additional quantitative easing in the US, but economic activity has remained weak or even worsened. Yet more purchases of US Treasuries or... 3rd September 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Holding out for a hero Commodity markets appear to be banking on some unlikely heroes among policy-makers to turn the global economy around quickly and save the euro. However, with midnight fast approaching, any action has... 31st July 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack End-June rally on shaky ground June’s price volatility offered something for everyone, with several key commodities seeing unusually large moves either up or down, and, in the case of oil, both over the course of the month. This... 2nd July 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack May's meltdown The prices of industrial and agricultural commodities were hit hard in May by the escalating crisis in the euro-zone and worries over demand from China (as we had anticipated). In particular, oil fell... 31st May 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Searching for direction Commodity prices as a whole were little changed in April. The drought-related rise in soybean prices has drawn some media interest, but this was more than offset by falls for other agriculturals... 1st May 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Oil prices peaking? The support to commodity prices from the general improvement in investor confidence, which had been fostered earlier in the first quarter by better economic data from the US and China and the ECB’s... 3rd April 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Iran premium in oil prices climbs towards $10 Commodity prices were mostly firm last month, helped by the general improvement in investor sentiment and, in the case of crude oil, an additional premium due to tensions between the West and Iran... 2nd March 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack New Year rally built on shaky foundations January was a better month for commodities, supported by hopes of an improvement in the global macroeconomic and financial backdrop. However, the recovery in the US economy has yet to convince even... 1st February 2012 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack More rollercoaster than super-cycle Commodity prices are ending 2011 with a whimper. Over the year as a whole the only major commodities to show significant increases are Brent crude and gold. Most components of the closely-watched S&P... 21st December 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Markets clutching at straws Commodity prices ended November little changed, thanks to the technical rebound in WTI and the recovery in risk assets generally late in the month. The markets have taken the view that the cut in the... 2nd December 2011 · 1 min read
