Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Speculation is contributing to recent metal prices, not fundamentals
In what should be no surprise to readers here (I've been saying this for a while), MEPS says the markets are actually not serving metal suppliers and metal consumers well.
See this paragraph excerpt from a larger document.
The recent roller-coaster ride in world commodity markets does not bode well for steel futures. Prices for non-ferrous metals have been driven up to record highs by pressures that have less to do with the basics of supply and demand, and more from speculation by investment funds. In mid-April the inevitable correction took place and metal prices tumbled – for nickel and zinc by as much as 7 percent in a single day. This was attributed purely to “sentiment�. Market fundamentals had not changed significantly. The world steel market measures more than 1,000 million tonnes. It would be absurd to have the price of this physical metal determined by dealings between financial speculators who have their own agenda.
See this paragraph excerpt from a larger document.
The recent roller-coaster ride in world commodity markets does not bode well for steel futures. Prices for non-ferrous metals have been driven up to record highs by pressures that have less to do with the basics of supply and demand, and more from speculation by investment funds. In mid-April the inevitable correction took place and metal prices tumbled – for nickel and zinc by as much as 7 percent in a single day. This was attributed purely to “sentiment�. Market fundamentals had not changed significantly. The world steel market measures more than 1,000 million tonnes. It would be absurd to have the price of this physical metal determined by dealings between financial speculators who have their own agenda.
Labels: nickel