Volatility keeping us alert

The summer months are typically the slowest of the year for the non-ferrous business, and while there was some degree of a downward trend in demand from many parts of the world, we certainly had the markets' volatility to keep us awake. Many claim the commodities bubble has burst; others maintain that we still haven't seen the highs in some of the metals in which we deal. And as usual, everyone has his or her own reasons for establishing an opinion. Chief among them, as is often the case, are the economic dynamics of the day and the oft-held belief that fundamentals eventually establish market value.

As we approach our Autumn Roundtables in Düsseldorf in October, thoughts of the economic situation in the so-called "mature" nations of the world will still be at the forefront. To this end, we're planning a program that will focus on the economy's impact on non-ferrous markets and how it is affecting demand for and pricing of our scrap. We believe that this subject is of major concern to our members, and we look forward to hearing what our speakers have to say, and of course to your reactions as well.

Seethe monthly world wide market update in our Members only section withreports from key countries.