Commodity & Infrastructure Insights

Nickel and the various compounds derived from it are essential to modern manufacturing practices. Among nickel’s extensive virtues are its high melting point, its natural resistance to corruption, and the ease with which it can be combined with other elements to perform alloys.

Democrat Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia holds more sway than most over White House legislative strategy, because he’s one of the few willing to break ranks with Democrat orthodoxy.

Democrat Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia holds more sway than most over White House legislative strategy, because he’s one of the few willing to break ranks with Democrat orthodoxy.

Humans have been using copper for millennia. Due to its malleability, high thermal conductivity, resistance to corrosion, and most importantly, its occurrence in nature in a directly usable metallic form, copper usage was an early mark of civilization and a necessary step on the path to the bronze and iron ages.

Memories of the 2013 “Taper Tantrum” loom over today’s FOMC as they engineer an exit that will hopefully be more elegant than our current one from Afghanistan. Both were well overdue, although there is no doubt the military withdrawal was handled disastrously. Can the Fed do better?

The most recent CPI report was a little better than expected – all-items less food and energy was up 4.3% year-on-year. Used car prices had boosted prior inflation figures but were up just 0.2% in July.

The most recent CPI report was a little better than expected – all-items less food and energy was up 4.3% year-on-year. Used car prices had boosted prior inflation figures but were up just 0.2% in July.

“Commodity” is a strange word. It is derived from the Latin word commoditas, meaning roughly “advantage,” and came into English by way of the French commodité, meaning an amenity or convenience.