How the commodities supercycle will foment unrest around the world
Commodities, including metals, energy and agricultural goods have seen prices climb steadily. With many societies are already on edge, we could see a new round of social unrest around the world.

Are we in a new commodity supercycle? asks The Economist. Many raw materials enjoyed strong gains last year, with copper prices up by more than 25% since the start of 2020 and iron ore surging by 75%. China responded to Covid-19 with an infrastructure-led stimulus plan that turned the country into a “voracious importer” of industrial metals and food.
As demand spiked, supply contracted; Covid-19 disruption meant Chilean copper mines and Brazilian iron ore excavators were unable to operate at full capacity. Even energy prices are perking up now: a cold winter has sent Asian liquefied natural gas prices to a record high. Bank of America analysts think the trend will continue, notes Zero Hedge. It says that a cocktail of stimulus, reflation and economic reopening should ensure continued robust commodity demand. Copper could end the year at $9,500 a tonne, up from $7,973 now.
Surging food prices are “one of the most dangerous features” of the latest commodity surge, says Albert Edwards of Société Générale in a note. Grain prices have risen more than 50% in just six months. Droughts in South America have worsened the shortages. As in 2011, a central bank “fire-hose” of monetary stimulus appears to be pumping up agricultural markets. The world’s poor might be about to fall victim to a “price momentum” bubble in basic foodstuffs as speculators pile in again.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Soya bean and rice prices have also taken off, says Eoin Treacy on fullertreacymoney.com. Corn futures have hit a seven-year high. The 2011 Arab Spring was sparked in large part by “the high cost of bread in Tunisia” during the last major agricultural price surge. Societies are already on edge. Now rising food prices could herald a new round of social unrest.
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Alex is an investment writer who has been contributing to MoneyWeek since 2015. He has been the magazine’s markets editor since 2019.
Alex has a passion for demystifying the often arcane world of finance for a general readership. While financial media tends to focus compulsively on the latest trend, the best opportunities can lie forgotten elsewhere.
He is especially interested in European equities – where his fluent French helps him to cover the continent’s largest bourse – and emerging markets, where his experience living in Beijing, and conversational Chinese, prove useful.
Hailing from Leeds, he studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford. He also holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Manchester.
-
Which investment trusts could benefit from lower interest rates?
As vehicles for long-term investments, many investment trusts were hit when interest rates rose in 2022. With interest rates expected to fall by the end of the year, could now be the time to invest in one of these unloved sectors?
-
How to protect your personal and financial data from cyber attacks
M&S and the Co-op are the latest retailers to suffer from cyber hacks but consumers also need to be vigilant
-
Unilever braces for inflation amid tariff uncertainty – what does it mean for investors?
Consumer-goods giant Unilever has made steady progress simplifying its operations. Will tariffs now cause turbulence?
-
Two ways to tap into monopoly profits from airports
Most investors can’t get their hands on airports. Here are two ways you can
-
Fat profits: should you invest in weight-loss drugs?
The latest weight-loss treatments could transform public health and the world economy. Should you invest?
-
How investors could profit from Ramsden Holdings' four-part growth strategy
Ramsdens Holdings offers a diversified set of financial and retail services and a juicy yield, says Dr Michael Tubbs
-
How to invest in the booming insurance market
The insurance sector is experiencing rapid growth after years of stagnation. Smart investors should buy in now, says Rupert Hargreaves
-
Out of America's shadow: Why Trump's tariff chaos may be good for non-US stocks
Opinion Upending global investment and trade could benefit other countries at the expense of the US market, says Cris Sholto Heaton
-
BP's 'long, painful decline' – and why next year could be even tougher
Opinion Long-suffering shareholders in oil giant BP have been pushing for change. It won’t come soon enough, says Matthew Lynn
-
Investment trusts tap the profits in exotic and obscure global markets
Opinion Peter Walls, manager of the Unicorn Mastertrust fund, highlights three investment trusts as he shares where he'd put his money