Commodity prices ended 2009 up again, with a 2.6 per cent rise, according to the latest ANZ Commodity Price Index.
The cumulative rise over the calendar year was 30 per cent, with the largest annual increases in commodity prices recorded in dairy, aluminium and sawn timber, which were up 50, 47 and 40 per cent, respectively.
The overall index has stayed high, and is just 6 per cent away from its record high, recorded in July 2008.
Six of the commodities measured by the index were up in December, five fell and two were unchanged.
The largest individual rise in the month was a 12 per cent
lift in aluminium prices.
Forestry prices also rose, with increased prices for wood pulp (4.1 per cent), sawn timber and logs (both lifting 2.0 per cent),
Dairy prices were up 3 per cent in December and lamb prices were up 1.4 per cent.
This was the sixth consecutive month of dairy prices increases. They are now 81 per cent above their low in February last year.
During the month the New Zealand dollar eased against both the US dollar and Japanese yen, while staying unchanged against the Australian dollar. There were small increases against the pound and euro.
The New Zealand dollar eased against the US dollar and Japanese yen, was unchanged with the Australian dollar and recorded small rises against the pound and euro.
Overall the lower value of the Kiwi dollar helped lift the NZ dollar commodity price index by 4.3 per cent last month.
-NZ HERALD STAFF
