Ample supply and sluggish demand have kept commodity prices moderate in the latter half of 2024. In 2025, energy prices are set to stay moderate as oil supply outpaces demand, while weaker industrial activity in key markets will weigh on metal prices. Improved crop forecasts are likely to ease food prices, though disinflation and global monetary easing could support consumption, adding upward pressure to agrifood prices. Geopolitical and weather shocks remain the key risks to the outlook.
Potential policy changes under a renewed Trump presidency could have far-reaching effects on the US and global economies. Proposed tax cuts may deliver short-term boosts to investment and income in the US but risk creating medium- and long-term challenges. Immigration and trade policy shifts are likely to drive higher inflationary pressures domestically and globally, while increased tariffs could disrupt international trade and accelerate efforts by companies to de-risk and diversify supply chains.
The ongoing AI boom is set to increase global demand for electricity. Accelerated digitisation efforts will also drive stronger demand for industrial metals, such as copper. This could add to the higher price pressures in the long term and impact the manufacturing sector, especially if supply of commodities fails to meet faster demand growth.
First months of 2024 saw a year-on-year easing in many commodity prices, as soft global demand weighed on energy prices and prospects of adequate crop supply capped agrifood price growth. However, geopolitical shocks sparked turbulence in the oil market and drove up gold prices, while rising supply concerns fuelled a rally in copper.
This year’s commodity market outlook remains highly uncertain. As consumers and businesses continue to grapple with lingering cost pressures and high interest rates, subdued global economic activity is set to translate into softer commodity demand.
Amid the global economic slowdown, weaker private consumption, business spending and capital investment are expected to weigh on commodity demand and curb price growth. However, the outlook remains highly uncertain due to elevated geopolitical risks, which could lead to supply disruptions and intensify price volatility, especially in energy markets.
Historically known for their robust economic growth, many Asian economies are grappling with a complex combination of energy vulnerabilities and aspirations for a sustainable energy future amidst a rapidly evolving global energy landscape. This article delves into the energy vulnerability of select Asian countries, offering insights into the challenges they face and the opportunities they can seize to enhance their energy security.
Albeit staying historically high, prices of many commodities are set to normalise below last year’s levels, weighed by weaker global demand. Despite recent improvements in global economic outlook, it remains fragile as high borrowing costs, persisting inflation, geopolitical woes and disappointing China’s recovery weigh on the outlook and dent demand for energy, metals and food. Yet, tightening global supply adds pressure to energy and food commodities markets.
Global inflationary pressures are predicted to moderate further over 2023 and 2024. Slower economic growth, stricter monetary policies of the central banks and supply chain improvements contribute to the price stabilisation. However, there are divergent inflation trends in the largest economies due to differences in the economic performance, labour and energy markets.
Supply chain optimisation is one of the key trends in the manufacturing sector that will shape the global manufacturing landscape over the next decade. Increased economic uncertainty, rising geopolitical tensions, the need to improve operational efficiency and still prevalent transportation bottlenecks drive the need to improve supply chain resilience to better withstand future shocks.
The ongoing slowdown of the global economy and weaker-than-expected recovery in China continue to put downward pressure on the commodity markets. Subdued B2B demand and private consumption, and weaker capital investment growth dampen the demand for food, energy and metal commodities and cap the price growth.
Inflation in the largest economies continues to moderate as slower economic growth and consequently weaker demand help to cap price growth. Inflation forecasts for the US and the Eurozone remain largely unchanged compared to estimations in the previous quarter as easing price pressures of manufactured goods and commodities help to curb inflation.
In 2023, global economies will continue to face multiple macroeconomic headwinds, including geopolitical uncertainties, inflation and tightened financial conditions. Global economic growth is expected to further slow, while cities will witness subdued consumer spending growth.
Trade tensions and major disruptions in global supply chains have pushed investors to look for alternative business locations. The regional bloc of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is increasingly viewed as a prospective option for new investments thanks to trade liberalisation, rapid digital advancement and cost advantages.
We have identified key factors that will continue to shape food commodity markets, including commodity price volatility, uneven development in food demand, shifts in global supply chains, climate change and sustainability pressures.
Food crisis is brewing in 2022, with wheat supply and pricing playing a major role in it. Soaring agricultural input prices, increasingly unpredictable weather conditions during harvests and the war in Ukraine are all pushing up the key commodity price and in turn leading to inflation across most staple foods.
New construction projects are expected to rely more on wood products amid growing interest in construction from mass timber. As wood requires less energy to process compared to other materials such as steel or concrete, it is also increasingly viewed as a renewable, low-carbon and energy-efficient option for buildings.
Explore the latest trends shaping the global commodities market in our free report extract.