Global Commodities: 2025 Outlook: bullish on gold for third year; supply-constrained base metals offer better value than oversupplied oil
Dec 6, 2024
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Gregory Shearer, Head of Base and Precious Metal Research at J.P. Morgan, shares his insights on the global commodities outlook for 2025. He highlights a continued bullish stance on gold, anticipating price growth alongside silver and platinum. Shearer points out that while oil faces a bearish forecast due to surplus, industrial metals are emerging as economically favorable investments. He discusses the disinflationary trends supported by commodities and investment opportunities in agricultural products, adapting to evolving global dynamics.
The bullish outlook on gold remains strong with a forecast of $3,000 per ounce due to macroeconomic uncertainties and trade tensions.
Agricultural commodities show promise in 2025, particularly sugar and palm oil, driven by inventory shortages and geopolitical factors.
Deep dives
Commodity Index Forecast for 2025
The broader outlook for the Bcom index indicates that after a 13% contraction last year, a flat return is expected in 2024, with commodity prices predicted to remain stable through 2025. This stability arises from decreases in energy prices being counterbalanced by increases in metals and agricultural commodities. Despite this trend, the index is projected to reach its lowest level since 2021 while still remaining approximately 15% above the average prices from 2015 to 2019. In particular, gold positioning has been highlighted as a strategic recommendation, showing a 20% increase this year, reaffirming a long-term optimism for this precious metal despite fluctuations in other sectors.
Precious Metals Outlook
A strong bullish outlook on gold remains intact, with a price forecast aiming for $3,000 per ounce by next year. This bullish sentiment is driven by increased macroeconomic uncertainty and gold's potential as a store of value while facing inflation and trade tensions. With current levels of central bank purchasing dipping, there might be a resurgence in demand from this sector as financial conditions evolve. Moreover, the transition of gold’s demand dynamics from central banks to ETFs could significantly influence its price trajectory in 2025.
Agricultural Commodities Analysis
The forecast for agricultural commodities appears robust, with sugar and palm oil particularly positioned for growth due to tightening inventories. The sugar market is expected to experience a deficit of approximately 1 million tons, while palm oil prices have surged due to Indonesia’s policy changes favoring biofuel mandates. However, the agricultural sector remains susceptible to geopolitical factors and potential trade policy shifts, particularly between the U.S. and China. Overall, while crops like soybeans display strong output, the market for many agricultural commodities remains tight due to global inventory challenges.
The BCOM Index is projected to deliver a flat return in 2024 and is expected to remain relatively stable in 2025, as declines in energy are offset by further price increases in metals and agriculture. Food and energy components have accounted for 35% of the decline in the headline U.S. CPI print this year, and commodities are anticipated to continue supporting disinflationary trends in 2025. We maintain our multi-year bullish outlook on gold for the third consecutive year and anticipate stronger gains in silver and platinum. Industrial metals have moved to the second position among our most preferred sectors, and we hold a positive view on agricultural commodities relative to the forward curves. We remain neutral on U.S. natural gas, while our perspective on oil has shifted from neutral to outright bearish.
Speakers:
Natasha Kaneva, Head of Global Commodities Research
Shikha Chaturvedi, Head of Global Natural Gas Research
Tracey Allen, Head of Agricultural Commodities Research
Gregory Shearer, Head of Base and Precious Metal Research