Metals Chart Pack Investor interest on the wane A stronger US dollar on the back of renewed expectations that the Fed will hike rates by the end of the year weighed on the prices of most industrial and precious metals last month. The only metals... 5th September 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Prices get a payrolls boost A weaker-than-expected US employment report on Friday all but removed the prospect of a US interest rate rise this month, although we still think a hike is likely before the end of the year. The... 2nd September 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Chart Pack Dollar strength weighs on commodities The prices of most commodities retreated in late August as the dollar strengthened on the back of renewed expectations that the Fed will raise rates this year. That said, activity data out of China... 1st September 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Investor sentiment sours The prices of most metals fell last month, undermined by some strengthening of the US dollar as a result of renewed expectations that the Fed will raise interest rates sooner rather than later. The... 1st September 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Subdued demand bolsters stocks The big news in the last month has been a sharp move up in exchange stocks of copper and a renewed slump in tin inventories. However, the bigger picture is that exchange stocks of metals have not... 31st August 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update Higher zinc prices could prove self-defeating The zinc market has tightened sharply this year mostly owing to mine closures and production cutbacks. While we expect the market to move deeper into deficit next year, we think that there is an... 30th August 2016 · 1 min read
Latin America Data Response Chile Retail Sales, Ind. Prod. & Copper Prod. (Jul.) July’s activity data were slightly better than the dire outturns in May and June, but,on balance, they still suggest the economy remained weak at the start of Q3. 30th August 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update EU trade deal unlikely to revive Indonesia’s tin exports Some have argued that a new trade deal between the EU and Indonesia may arrest the decline in the latter’s exports of tin. However, structural issues constraining tin exports mean that it is unlikely... 25th August 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China’s metals imports dip in July China’s metals imports fell last month. This was not totally unexpected as the strength of imports earlier in the year had seemed at odds with relatively subdued underlying demand. Higher prices for... 24th August 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Update Investors turn positive on oil The recent rally in the oil price has been fuelled by speculation that output will be curtailed and, as such, may lose steam if no deal is forthcoming. Meanwhile, the combination of a somewhat weaker... 23rd August 2016 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response Global Steel Production (Jul.) World Steel Association (WSA) data, released this afternoon, show a 1.4% y/y rise in global steel output in July as higher Asian output more than offset lower production at EU and US steelmakers. That... 22nd August 2016 · 1 min read
Metals Data Response Global Aluminium Production (Jul.) According to the International Aluminium Institute, global primary aluminium output declined by 0.5% y/y last month. However, Chinese production may have been disrupted by flooding, while output... 22nd August 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China Industrial Metals Output Monitor (Jun./Jul.) Detailed Chinese industrial production figures for July show how mine supply can offset price movements in determining refined production. The ability of smelters to respond to the rallies in zinc and... 19th August 2016 · 1 min read
China Chart Pack G20 blues lie ahead Residents of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) can look forward to unusually clear skies as restrictions on industry to limit pollution ahead of next month’s G20 summit come into effect. According to... 17th August 2016 · 1 min read
Industrial Metals Update China Industrial Metals Demand Monitor (Jul.) This is a new monthly publication in which we assess the strength of demand in the world’s largest consumer of metals. We are also introducing our Capital Economics Steel Demand Proxy, to help inform... 17th August 2016 · 1 min read
Commodities Weekly Oil jumps on output freeze speculation Despite a slightly weaker dollar, the prices of most industrial metals ended the week lower on the back of mixed data out of China. While industrial activity looks to be holding up reasonably well –... 12th August 2016 · 1 min read