Price Formation in Commodities Markets

Book excerpt: The current rapid rise of commodity prices comes at a critical moment, as European and U.S. economies stagger in their attempts to regain ground lost in the recent financial crisis. Facing mounting worries and anger from both policymakers and the public, regulators at the most recent G20 summit agreed to address commodity price volatility worldwide. They are bringing forward a number of proposals to improve the regulation, functioning, and transparency of commodity markets. This book collects the findings of a task force composed of financial and nonfinancial firms as well as regulators and academics. It sheds new light on price formation mechanisms in spot and future commodities markets and highlights key drivers of price formation in main commodities markets.