Economic & financial indicators

Commodities

Excess supply and fears about slowing Chinese investment have caused commodity prices to fall throughout the past year. Copper has been particularly affected: flagging industrial activity in China means less demand for copper pipes and cables. Brent crude-oil prices have also been hit. Although shale-oil production in the United States has slowed, oversupply is still reckoned at one million barrels a day. The prices of orange juice, coffee and cotton have fallen, too. But it’s not all bad news. Hailstorms in Kenya earlier this year reduced tea supplies and pushed prices up. Another bright spot is Australian wool, where a weak Aussie dollar and strong Chinese clothing sales created higher demand for the commodity.

This article appeared in the Economic & financial indicators section of the print edition under the headline "Commodities"

Dominant and dangerous

From the October 3rd 2015 edition

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Economic data, commodities and markets

Economic data, commodities and markets