China’s rise as a merchandise exporter in recent decades is unparalleled. Supported by a rapidly growing urban workforce, massive investments in productivity enhancing infrastructure and technologies, a range of subsidies and incentives, and a favourable external economic environment, Chinese...

High and volatile commodity prices have returned as a significant global issue, with the prices of many commodities returning to around their mid-2008 peaks. This paper provides an overview of the fundamental drivers of recent price trends and considers the role played by financial speculation...

This paper analyses the history of China’s demand for commodities — across energy, metals and agriculture — and the potential path of future demand. It compares China’s experience in recent decades with that of other recent industrialising economies, and considers the scale and pace of...