China’s stunning economic growth in recent years, particularly in the manufacturing sector, has increased the country’s demand for energy and other commodities, which has affected wider global commodity markets in complex ways. The impact of rising Chinese demand on four key commodity markets is explored in The Effects of Increasing Chinese Demand on Global Commodity Markets, a new staff research study by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Office of Industries.

The research study was prepared by ITC staff. The findings included in the publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. International Trade Commission or any of the Commissioners.

Principal findings for global commodities markets include crude petroleum, aluminum, forest product and ferrous products.

Global market prices for ferrous scrap have increased rapidly since 1995, reflecting strong growth in global demand, particularly from China, Turkey, and other Asian steel-producing countries.

The Effects of Increasing Chinese Demand on Global Commodity Markets (Staff Research Study No. 28, USITC publication 3864, June 2006) is available on the ITC’s Internet server at http://hotdocs/usitc.gov/docs/pubs/ research_working_papers/pub3864-200606.pdf.