Commodities, prices slowing down but still at high levels

The Total Commodity Index and the Industrial Goods Index confirm the record levels reached in the past months, but the first signs of a slowdown are starting to emerge. If compared with the trend in March, the total index of raw materials marks in April a growth of + 3.4%, lower than that recorded in the previous month (+ 14%). In this context, as shown by a report released in mid-May by Pricepedia and FederUnacoma, the most consistent increase was that of inorganic chemical raw materials (+ 9.7%), followed by non-ferrous industrial goods (+ 4.9%), chemicals for industry (+ 4.5%) and ferrous metals. (+ 4.3%). The primacy of price increases - states the report - no longer belongs to energy sources which, after several months of strong price increases, last month marked a moderate + 3.5%. The resumption of the pandemic crisis in China and the policies implemented by the EU and the United States regarding oil stocks - explains the Pricepedia observatory - have put a stop to the increase in the prices of energy commodities.