Klaus Matthies

Commodity prices continue to fall

Commodity prices have fallen sharply on world markets in the wake of Asias economic and financial crisis. In view of the worsening situation in Russia this decline is likely to continue for the time being. Can a gradual price recovery be expected next year?

Commodity Prices Recede from Record Highs

Several commodity prices appear to have peaked earlier this year and crude oil prices have even fallen by more than 10 dollars per barrel from their recent all-time high level. Is the worst over for buyers of raw materials or will prices rise again in the coming months?

Asian demand pushes up commodity prices

Dollar prices for industrial raw materials have increased along a wide front, and oil prices are almost as high as they were before the Iraq war. Due to the weak dollar, however, consumers in the euro area have been relatively unaffected so far. Demand for raw materials will remain strong. Must we brace ourselves for a further sharp increase in commodity prices?

HWWA raw materials price index on a new basis

The division of labour in the world economy is subject to a process of constant change which also affects the meaningfulness of raw materials price indices. Such indices require periodic revision in order to maintain their significance as current indicators of commodity market price developments. This is particularly true of an index with a constant price and weighting basis such as the HWWA raw materials price index.

The OPEC after thirty years

The collapse if OPEC has been prophesied repeatedly since it was first founded in Baghdad in September 1960. Yet in spite of all their differences its members, which now number 13 countries, have so far always managed to establish at least a formal bare minimum of consensus. It may be that recent events have changed all that. Will OPEC’s thirtieth birthday prove to be its last?

Foreign enterprises in mexico

The uses and drawbacks of foreign capital and multinational enterprises have been discussed more thoroughly in the past few years also in Mexico. The Third World Trade Conference of 1972 (UNCTAD III), at which President Echeverría came forward with proposals designed to involve foreign enterprises in the development process, and the introduction of two laws dealing with investment and technology have stimulated this debate.

Slower Price Rises in Commodity Markets

The rise in commodity prices continues due to strong demand from emerging economies in Asia. But not all prices are going up. Several industrial raw materials seem to have peaked earlier this year. Is this the beginning of a general change in price direction?

Rohstoffpreise bleiben hoch

Der weltweite Rohstoffbedarf nimmt weiter zu, und die Preise für Energie- und Industrierohstoffe sind hoch. Ist der Höchststand bei den Preisen erreicht, oder führt das kräftige Wachstum der Weltwirtschaft zu einer weiteren Verteuerung?

Oil Market at a Turning Point

Crude oil prices have fallen markedly during recent months, so much so that the OPEC countries finally took action and resolved to curb production levels. Is the oil market becoming accustomed to ongoing geopolitical risks, and are oil price developments now being more strongly determined by fundamental market data once again?

Langfristige Entwicklungen auf dem Markt für Energierohstoffe

Die Preise für Energierohstoffe sind derzeit auf einem historischen Höchststand. Diese Entwicklung ist wesentlich auf den Nachfrageanstieg aus den asiatischen Schwellen ländern zurückzuführen. Wird sich dieser Trend steigender Preise bei begrenzt verfügbaren Rohstoffreserven weiter fortsetzen?