Methodology

Verified: Our price reporters are required to follow robust pricing procedures, clearly defined methodologies and price specifications during their market reporting and pricing sessions. All calculations or assessments are verified through our integrated peer review system, to guarantee unrivaled quality control and compliance.

Independent: We continually develop and review our methodologies in consultation with industry participants. Our aim is to adopt product specifications, trading terms, conditions or other factors that reflect and are representative of typical working practices in the industry.

Confidential: Markets are assessed by experienced price reporters each day, via phone calls, emails, texts, etc to a wide variety of market participants on both the buy and sell sides of the market. All information received from data submitters is kept confidential in accordance with the data submitter policy (see the section marked “confidentiality”).

All data supplied to Fastmarkets is kept confidential in accordance with the data submitter policy and stored in our secure online pricing database system MInD (Market Information Database). Fastmarkets may sign a Data Submitter Agreement (DSA) with any data provider, if requested to do so, to maximize the number of data points collected for inclusion in the assessment process.

Fastmarkets’ mission is to meet our markets’ data requirements honestly and independently, acting with integrity and care to ensure that the trust and confidence placed in the reliability of our pricing methodologies is maintained. We do not have a vested interest in the markets on which we report.

Fastmarkets’ reporters are required to abide by a code of conduct and clear pricing procedures during their market reporting and pricing activities. Fastmarkets is completely independent and has no vested commercial interest in any of the markets it prices.

Methodology rationale
Fastmarkets produces independent, fair and representative price assessments and indices of metals, forest and agricultural products prices on a daily, bi-weekly, weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. Fastmarkets’ rationale for adopting the price-discovery process is to produce consistent and representative indicators of value for the markets that we cover during defined trading periods.

Assessment objective
The assessor’s intended aim is to reflect our definition of our price assessment: ‘The prevailing level at which a commodity of stated specification has or could be expected to have transacted over a defined period of time.’ We summarize this for effective use as the prevailing ‘tradeable level’ of the market.

Data contribution
Fastmarkets reporters aim to collect data from a broad sample of market participants involved in physical commodities markets, with a good representation of both sides of the market, including producers and consumers, as well as traders and intermediaries.

Data is collected from industry participants directly involved in the market primarily by telephone but also by email, digital messaging, face-to-face interaction or by direct submission. All data supplied to Fastmarkets is kept confidential and stored in our secure online pricing database system.

Fastmarkets may sign a Data Submitter Agreement (DSA) with any data provider, if requested to do so, to maximize the number of data points collected for inclusion in the assessment process. Any data received subject to a DSA will be used in the pricing assessment but will not be commented on.

Market participants may contribute data following a review by Fastmarkets of their activities. The aim is to ensure that submitters have sufficient visibility and understanding of the market in question to be able to provide reliable price data.

We expect that data submitters taking part in the pricing process are authorized to report market data on behalf of their organizations. Fastmarkets encourages organizations to submit all their pricing data, especially all the concluded transactions.

Price reporters generally speak to, and collect data from, front office staff directly involved in the commercial activity of buying and selling. Fastmarkets also welcomes organizations to submit transaction data from authorized back-office functions.

This Disclaimer is in addition to our Terms and Conditions as available on our website and shall not supersede or otherwise affect these Terms and Conditions. Prices and other information contained in this publication have been obtained by us from various sources believed to be reliable. This information has not been independently verified by us. Those prices and price indices that are evaluated or calculated by us represent an approximate evaluation of current levels based upon dealings (if any) that may have been disclosed prior to publication to us. Such prices are collated through regular contact with producers, traders, dealers, brokers and purchasers although not all market segments may be contacted prior to the evaluation, calculation, or publication of any specific price or index. Actual transaction prices will reflect quantities, grades and qualities, credit terms, and many other parameters. The prices are in no sense comparable to the quoted prices of commodities in which a formal futures market exists.

Evaluations or calculations of prices and price indices by us are based upon certain market assumptions and evaluation methodologies, and may not conform to prices or information available from third parties. There may be errors or defects in such assumptions or methodologies that cause resultant evaluations to be inappropriate for use. Your use or reliance on any prices or other information published by us is at your sole risk. Neither we nor any of our providers of information make any representations or warranties, express or implied as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information forming any part of the published information or its fitness or suitability for a particular purpose or use. Neither we, nor any of our officers, employees or representatives shall be liable to any person for any losses or damages incurred, suffered or arising as a result of use or reliance on the prices or other information contained in this publication, howsoever arising, including but not limited to any direct, indirect, consequential, punitive, incidental, special or similar damage, losses or expenses.

We are not an investment adviser, a financial adviser or a securities broker. The information published has been prepared solely for informational and educational purposes and is not intended for trading purposes or to address your particular requirements. The information provided is not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security, commodity, financial product, instrument or other investment or to participate in any particular trading strategy. Such information is intended to be available for your general information and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making (or refraining from making) any specific investment or other decisions. Your investment actions should be solely based upon your own decisions and research and appropriate independent advice should be obtained from a suitably qualified independent adviser before any such decision is made.