The road to higher prices is becoming a lonely one. Caustic soda, which continued a nine-month long run up in November, was joined by just two other commodities, according to the latest ISM Manufacturing Report on Business (ROB) released on Dec. 1. Among the 18 commodities that reported lower prices during the month was steel, which spent the first nine months of 2008 moving up every month. Steel seemed to turn around as of the September report, now with three consecutive months of lower prices.
Commodities Up In Price
Caustic Soda (9)
Copper (2)*
Natural Gas*
Commodities Down in Price
Aluminum (2)
Aluminum-based Products
Copper (4)*
Diesel Fuel (4)
#2 Fuel Oil
Gasoline
Natural Gas* (4)
Nickel (2)
Polyethylene
Polypropylene (2)
Resin-based Products
Scrap Steel
Stainless Steel (2)
Steel (3)
Steel -- Cold Rolled (2)
Steel Products
Steel Scrap Surcharges
Sulfuric Acid
Commodities In Short Supply
Caustic Soda (6)
Note: The number of consecutive months the commodity is listed is indicated after each item.
*Reported as both up and down in price
Source: November 2008 Manufacturing ISM Report on Business
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