A daily price tells you where the market is today. A forecast helps you decide what to do next: buy now or wait, book a contract or stay on spot, import or buy locally.

We forecast prices for the products we assess every day, using three things we already have. The first is the price history of each grade in each market. The second is the supply side: plant shutdowns, new capacity, import arrivals and producers’ list price revisions. The third is new demand from our project monitoring software, which our engineers keep updated through research and regular calls to the companies.

Forecasts cover the prices you actually pay: ex-works and domestic prices in rupees, import and export prices in dollars, and the landed cost that links the two. Each month you get a forecast for the products you choose at one, three, six and twelve months. For longer plans, such as a new plant or a five-year contract, we also give views at three and five years, to 2030-31.

Every forecast gives the reasons behind it, and what would make us change our view. When we change it, we tell you why. If something important happens between two monthly forecasts, you get an update rather than waiting for the next one.

Buyers use the forecasts to decide when to buy and how much stock to hold; sellers to fix their prices; finance teams for a budget assumption they can explain. You also get our daily prices for the same products, and an analyst to answer your questions.

•  Buyers: decide when to buy, how much stock to hold, and whether to import or buy locally
•  Sellers: fix your prices knowing where the market is heading
•  Finance and planning: a price assumption you can explain, for this year’s budget and for new projects over three to five years
•  Banks: check your exposure to a product or sector against a range of prices

•  A monthly forecast for the products you choose, at one, three, six and twelve months
•  Longer-term views at three and five years, to 2030-31
•  Domestic, import and export prices, and the landed cost between them
•  The reasons behind each forecast, and what would change it
•  An update in between if something important happens
•  Access to our daily prices for the same products
•  An analyst to answer your queries