Prices of Air Freight Transports in Free Fall
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the index of air freight prices in the first quarter of 2009 was by 24.4% lower than in the first quarter of 2008. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2008, prices were down an average 21.2%. Hence the price index decreased for the second consecutive quarter, reaching its lowest level since it was first calculated in 2007. Previously, the prices rose continuously from the beginning of 2007 into the 3rd quarter of 2008. Read more
Evonik Increases Prices for Coating Polyesters
Evonik Industries’ Coatings & Additives Business Unit will increase the prices for coating polyesters sold under the brand names DYNAPOL L, DYNAPOL LH as well as for the VESTICOAT UB product range in Europe, Africa and the Middle East effective July 1st, 2009. The price increase will be up to € 0.1/kg. Evonik says that this step is unavoidable due to some recent price hikes of important raw materials.
Hotel Prices Fall by 12 Percent
The average price of a hotel room around the world fell by 12% last year, according to the latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index. Read more
Drastic Fall in Sea Freight Rates
The global economic downturn and the drop in oil prices have led to a fall in sea freight rates in Germany. Read more
Unpredictable Import Prices
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), in December 2008 the index of import prices decreased by 5.1% compared with the corresponding month of last year. Read more
Price Slump of Copper and Semi-Finished Products
The index of producer prices for industrial products in Germany was up 4.3% in December 2008 from the corresponding month of the preceding year. Compared with the preceding month, the index fell by 1.0% in December 2008. Read more
Import Prices: Sharpest One Month Drop
As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) in October 2008, the index of import prices increased by 2.9% from the corresponding month of the preceding year. This was the lowest year-on-year-rate since October 2007 (+2.3%). Read more
Purchasing Manager Index Reflecting the Crisis
The November issue 2008 of the Markit/BME Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) fell by 4.5 points to 42.9 in the reporting period of October, its lowest level in seven years. Read more
Wholesale Prices Falling Slightly
In October 2008, the Wholesale Price Index was up 3.6 percent compared to last year’s level. In September and August 2008, the annual change rates were +5.8 percent and +7.4 percent respectively. Compared to the previous month, the Wholesale Price Index fell by 1.5 percent in October 2008. Read more
Purchasing Commodities is like Surfing
Raw material experts of Inverto AG advise to reduce dependency on price fluctuations by actively managing the cost of raw materials now, and to secure income. Read more
Downward Price Trend for Nonferrous Metals
In September 2008, the import price index was up 7.6% on last year’s level. In August and July 2008 this change in rate amounted to an increase of 9.3% respectively. Compared with August 2008, the import price index was down 1%. Read more
Steel Price Hikes – Nervous Commodity 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:
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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.
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Tecson informs about global crude oil prices using numbers, charts and a dollar/euro comparison of prices.
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Prices for copper have plunged. Südkupfer gives an overview of the most important and latest market data and prices.
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The CRU Steel Price Index offers current charts and statistics as well as international news on the steel market development.
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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.
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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.
