From now on we will be blogging on a range of interesting and varied subjects, all related to the world of metals news, research and market data. I will be keeping you in touch with developments here at FastMarkets, while my colleagues will cover important market or technical subjects. Martin Hayes, our chief correspondent, who runs the FastMarkets news team and has over 30 years experience of reporting from the floor is impeccably qualified to comment on developments at the LME. This is obviously a hugely important time for the exchange so it will be vital to stay abreast of developments; keep an eye on Martin’s blogs.
Our Head of Research, William Adams, will be contributing analytical pieces on the metals and the global economic situation. At a time when the metal markets seem to react so violently to a range of external factors, often ignoring fundamentals, clear and incisive analysis has never been more important. The FastMarkets Research service provides our customers with a daily package of technical and fundamental analysis of all factors impacting our markets. Watch out then for some great insights from William’s contributions.
Beyond considerations of the markets, there are many other practical problems we all share that are part of the nuts and bolts of doing business in metals. Consider the question of market data. We all need access to metal prices in some capacity, either in real time or simply for settlement purposes. At FastMarkets we have built a really impressive market data capability, capable of delivering the full richness of base metals, precious metals and minor metals prices to a global online audience. Our technical director John Carlyle-Clarke is therefore very well placed to comment on developments in this complex area or offer advice on such matters as XML data feeds or DDE links into Excel for the technically minded of you. In addition we will have observations on the industry from our highly experienced sales director Tim Dennis and also updates on our products.
But why FastMarkets, why a blog and why now, I hear you ask. When I founded FastMarkets in 1999 with Ross Norman (who is now following his other passion of physical gold and silver here), we saw an opportunity to create an information company that stood out from the crowd. By building a team of dedicated experts in metals we sought to become established as providers of authoritative high frequency news and analysis specialising in the rapid interpretation of events. This blog, in conjunction with the new site you have just visited give us a great opportunity to explain what we know and what we do, while adding genuine value at the same time. Finally, the time is right because after the last few years of rapid growth, our position in the market as dependable data vendors and originators of knowledgeable and often breaking news is now consolidating with customers in over 80 countries from every sector in the metals markets.
