Steel Price Hikes – Nervous Commodity Markets

October 22, 2008 · Filed Under Markets

Prices on the commodity markets are fluctuating widely, probably also in the weeks to come. Only a few companies provide information free of charge on the internet to research current rates for crude oil, copper, steel and precious metals.

6 tips on links for market analysis:

Westmetall does not only provide a very clearly structured survey of the prices at the London Metal Exchange (LME prices), charts and market reports included, but also of German metal prices in euros, per 100 kilogram, and of prices for precious metals.
Tecson informs about global crude oil prices using numbers, charts and a dollar/euro comparison of prices.
Prices for copper have plunged. Südkupfer gives an overview of the most important and latest market data and prices.
The CRU Steel Price Index offers current charts and statistics as well as international news on the steel market development.
At the London Metal Exchange (LME), price fluctuations of aluminium, copper, nickel, zinc, lead and aluminium alloys can be observed. Registered users get a selection of market data free of charge.
Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, President “Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl” (Steel Association) and Chairman of Stahlinstitut VDEh, summarised the state of the market in his presentation in Washington on 5 October 2008. This 16-page pdf-document contains current charts on Germany’s steel market (Steel Industry facing New Challenges) and on market supply developments. It does not identify an improvement of market supply conditions. Prices for coking coal, ore and chrome reached record levels. Tin and scrap metal prices fell for the first time at the end of summer 2008.