Barley and Urals crude lead global commodity gains in September

17:00

By: Azzat Manal

Barley and Urals crude lead global commodity gains in September

Barley and Russian Urals crude oil recorded some of the strongest price increases among major commodities in September, while cobalt extended its decline to remain among the weakest-performing commodities for a second consecutive month.

An analysis of data from ICE Futures, CME Group and the Shanghai Metals Exchange showed sharp movements across agricultural products, industrial materials and energy commodities as the third quarter came to an end.

Barley recorded the largest monthly increase across the commodities tracked, with its price rising by 39.4% in September. The move highlights the continued volatility affecting agricultural markets, where prices can respond to changes in supply, weather conditions, inventories and global demand.

Other food commodities also posted significant gains. Oat prices climbed 22.48% during the month, while orange juice increased by 11.87%. Cocoa moved in the opposite direction, falling 20.93% to record the largest decline among the food commodities included in the analysis.

In the industrial and metals category, styrene was the strongest performer in the Chinese market, gaining 14.66% over the month. The chemical compound is widely used in the production of plastics, synthetic rubber and other industrial materials.

Cobalt, meanwhile, suffered the steepest decline in the industrial and metals group, losing 30.47% of its value in September. The metal is an important component in several industrial applications, including some battery technologies, making its price movements closely watched by manufacturers and investors.

Energy markets also recorded substantial differences between individual commodities. Urals crude, a key Russian export blend, rose 36.26% during September, making it the strongest performer in the fuel and energy category. U.S. propane prices followed with an 18.86% increase.

Coking coal was among the energy commodities moving lower, declining 6.21% over the month.

The contrasting performances underline the divergent factors influencing global commodity markets. Agricultural prices are affected by harvest expectations and weather conditions, while metals respond to industrial demand, inventories and the outlook for manufacturing. Energy prices remain particularly sensitive to geopolitical developments, production levels and shifts in global consumption.

The September figures therefore point to continued volatility across commodity markets, with substantial differences between individual products even within the same sector.