Economics

CRU Economics provides an independent view of the global economy. Our macro forecasts feed into all our analysts’ commodity market outlooks and into all our cost models, offering transparency and consistency across all the markets that CRU covers.

The Economics team at CRU focuses on where macroeconomics meet commodities. In other words, we aim to study the influences of the wider economy on the sectors and countries that matter most to our customers in the metals, mining and fertilizer industries.

Our team’s expertise in analysing the global economy, combined with the intelligence we receive from our offices around the globe, provides unparalleled depth to our understanding of how macroeconomic developments affect commodity markets worldwide. To inform your strategic business decisions and gain a comprehensive understanding of how the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy will impact your operations and markets, we also provide a Sustainability and Emissions Service. Through our recent acquisition of Exawatt, we have enhanced our capacity provide forecasts and performance reports for a range of decarbonisation technologies, fostering informed decisions in the energy sector. CRU Economics regularly engages with customers to provide personalised commentary on macroeconomic issues. 

We strive to make our methodologies and views as transparent as possible to maintain trusting relationships with all our customers.

Alex Tuckett Principal Economist

Quarterly Cost Macro report
Our Quarterly Cost Macro report, sets out our forecast of key cost drivers –including fuel, freight and labour. We also provide extensive coverage of exchange rate forecasts for more than 30 countries, a crucial determinant of mine and plant cost competitiveness.

Global Economic Outlook
Our monthly Global Economic Outlook includes our 5-year forecast of GDP, IP, exchange rates and oil prices for the global economy and for major countries and regions. We place greater emphasis on prospects for the construction and auto sectors, and on China, the largest consumer of global commodities. Twice yearly we also prepare a long-term forecast which extends to 2050.