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
Commodities Chart Pack Fragile recovery already faltering The recovery in most commodity prices in October now seems like ancient history. The hopes generated by the apparent pick-up in Chinese demand, renewed talk of a third round of quantitative easing... 1st November 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Reality bites The sharp falls in commodity prices in September are a timely reminder that the health of the global economy and financial system is at least as important as developments on the supply-side. The falls... 1st October 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Defying gravity The slowdown in the global economy and nervousness in financial markets undermined the prices of industrial metals and oil in August. Admittedly, these prices ended the month on a more positive note... 3rd September 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Supply disruptions cause prices to rally Most commodity prices rose in July, especially those which had fallen sharply over the previous two months. This occurred despite weakening demand prospects. Instead, supply-side developments were a... 2nd August 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Supply separates the wheat from the sugar Commodity prices continued to fall in June. But while concerns about demand were the main driver in May, last month saw attention shift to the prospects for supply. This explains the divergence... 5th July 2011 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Coming back down to earth Most commodity prices tumbled last month as doubts about the strength of global demand and even the Chinese economy grew. We believe these falls were fully justified by fundamentals and expect further... 1st June 2011 · 1 min read
