In the world of metal trading on the London Metal Exchange (LME), understanding price structures is key. Whether it’s aluminium, copper, or other metals, futures pricing provides valuable insights for hedging and market strategy. Let’s break down the basic concepts:

Flat Curve: A flat curve occurs when the price for a nearby date is the same as the price for a future date. Think of it as a snapshot of stability—what you see now is what the market projects for later. However, this is only a momentary view, not a guarantee that prices will remain identical when the future date arrives.

Contango: When the price for a future date is higher than the nearby price, the market is said to be in contango. This indicates that the market expects higher values over time. (And no, it’s not related to tango dancing!) Contango reflects scenarios where storage costs, interest rates, or expected demand growth push future prices upward.

Backwardation: Conversely, if the future price is lower than the nearby price, the market is in backwardation. This can happen when there’s immediate scarcity or urgency in the market, causing higher short-term prices relative to the future.

These curves are more than just patterns—they tell a story about market expectations, supply-demand dynamics, and storage economics.

Next week, we’ll dive into why these curves form and explore strategies to leverage them for hedging and investment opportunities. Stay tuned for insights on turning these market structures into actionable strategies!