Forecasting and analysis

Anticipate global influences on commodity prices, supply and demand

Plan with confidence

Supply chains are in constant motion as factors like logistics issues, severe weather, the push to a low-carbon economy and governments’ policies combine to alter the playing field daily. Market participants – whether upstream, midstream or downstream – need insights and historical data to understand and anticipate commodity supply chain performance and behavior.

Fastmarkets provides a suite of forecasts and economic analysis to give market participants the essential tools to build scenarios and make high-stakes decisions. These short-term and long-term forecasts cover the agriculture, forest products and metals and mining markets. Select one of the options below to find out more about each market’s forecasting method and analysis products.

Interested in getting a strategic advantage in complex, turbulent, often opaque markets? See our forecasting and analysis tools in action.

Why Fastmarkets forecasts?
Our unbiased, independent research helps you minimize risk and predict future trends based on insights and analysis from experts. Get behind the data to deepen your confidence in your decisions.
Discover what market forces are likely to drive price movements and supply-demand shifts.
Use our forecasts to lead negotiations, inform your strategy and make business decisions.
Time your purchasing and manage inventories with information you can rely on.
Know exactly how much material to commit to on spot purchasing or on contract in each region.
Featured prices and forecasts
Steel

Corn

Lithium

Pulp

Latest forecasts and analysis

Starting 2025, concerns about potential tariffs left North American pulp market participants on edge. As they closed January prices and negotiated new orders for February, the landscape could starkly change. In the European pulp market, pulp producers have announced price increases for both bleached eucalyptus kraft (BEK) pulp and northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp. […]

The tariff drama as President Trump enters his second term of office has occupied much of the energy of financial markets and business leaders. The 25% levies on all goods from Canada and Mexico implemented on March 4 are sending ripple effects throughout the entire forest products industry, given the level of industry integration and […]

We expect prices for paper products in Latin America to increase in 2025, tracking higher costs and more robust demand than in 2024. The demand recovery in 2024 created opportunities to consume any remaining unsold inventories from the 2022-23 period, and new orders were placed throughout the year as demand increased. From a cost perspective, […]

How we predict the markets

To bring you an unbiased view of the market, our price forecasting methodology includes supply and demand fundamentals, an in-depth look into underlying costs and implied margins as well as market sentiment.

We draw on the expertise of our in-house analysts and our extensive network of reporters. These real-world inputs, reviewed and refined against our AI-assisted pricing models, bring you a 360° view of your markets.

Learn more about our methdology

Talk to us

Whether you’re interested in learning how to become a customer from our sales teams or looking to get in touch with one of our reporters, we’re here for you.

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Why use a price reporting agency?

Navigate uncertainty and make business decisions with confidence using our price data, forecasts and critical intelligence.

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