What the data shows
A series is a list of measurements over time. Here, each line is a monthly price history for one material or fuel. A benchmark is a reference price for a defined product and market, not a price every buyer pays.
Commodity data workbench.
Did copper prices rise faster than gold prices? Choose up to six materials or fuels and compare how their prices changed over time. Start with two to make the chart easier to read.
How a price comparison works.
Different products use different units. Starting every line at 100 lets you compare the size of their changes.
Choose histories
Pick up to six monthly price series.
Give each a start of 100
This removes the problem of different units.
Compare the paths
125 means 25% above that line’s starting value.
Ask what changed
The chart shows what happened, not why it happened.
What this page helps you understand.
Try it in three steps
- Choose two prices, such as gold and copper.
- Leave “Index each series to 100” checked.
- Select “Update analysis” and compare the lines.
The chart compares dates that the selected histories have in common.
Read the result
In an example chart, a line going from 100 to 125 means the price rose 25% from its starting point. A second line ending at 110 rose 10%. The first rose more, but that does not mean it costs more per kilogram.
Explore the data.
Monthly values are matched by date.
Preparing stored observations…
What the changes look like.
These summary numbers describe the dates shown in the chart. They tell you what happened in the past; they do not predict what happens next.
See and download the numbers.
The table makes exact values easier to check. A CSV download is a simple table file that opens in most spreadsheet programs.
How this connects to other prices.
For a quick two-market view with plain-English notes, use a dedicated comparison such as gold vs silver or copper vs aluminium. The guide to reading historical charts explains index values, averages and missing dates, and the commodity price race turns a comparison into a shareable story.
How to read the results.
Read the axes and dates
Read left to right to move through time. The height of a line shows its value. “Index to 100” gives each line the same starting score: 120 means 20% above its start, and 80 means 20% below it. An index value is not a price in dollars.
Why can the date range shrink?
With index mode on, the tool uses dates shared by all selected histories. Currency and inflation views also need matching dates in the exchange-rate or CPI data. Missing months are not guessed or filled with zero. A chart joining two points does not mean every day between them was measured.
What does “Latest” mean?
It is the last value in the displayed data, not necessarily today’s value. It follows your chosen view: an index score, a price in the selected currency, or another unit. Check the date range before comparing two results.
CAGR: a smoothed yearly change
CAGR stands for compound annual growth rate. It is the steady yearly change that would take the first value to the last. A rise from 100 to 121 over two years is about 10% per year. The actual path can still have large ups and downs.
Volatility and drawdown
Volatility measures how much values bounce around. Here it is calculated from monthly changes and put on a yearly scale. Maximum drawdown is the biggest fall from an earlier high: a drop from 100 to 70 is a 30% drawdown. Neither number predicts the next fall.
Correlation: similar patterns
This number runs from −1 to +1. Near +1 means the levels tend to be high and low together. Near −1 means they tend to go in opposite directions. Near 0 means little straight-line relationship. This compares levels, not monthly changes, and does not prove one causes the other.
Where the data comes from.
These links lead to the organisations or methods behind the numbers. New figures appear here after they are published and added to this site. A missing value means data is unavailable, not that the price or supply is zero.
World Bank Pink Sheet Monthly commodity benchmark histories.