Commodity Price Stabilization

Fundamentals: supply and demand under risk; Market equilibrium; Price stabilization with no supply response; Supply responses to stabilization; Microeconomic repercussions; Economic considerations.

This book deals with commodity price stabilization. It explores the contemporary changes in global trade agreements and their relationship to the ongoing changes in international and regional trade structures and economic integration. It takes a wholistic, interdisciplinary approach, including economic, legal and political aspects; examines the EC and NAFTA as important trade blocs, and their impact on global economies. Investigates the Chinese approach to trade management, the oil price stabilization policies, and seabed minerals; discusses discrimination in international trade. The interdisciplinary nature of the book is given prominence through the layout of the various parts. Part I examines the legal issues of commodity trade, investigating the debate over whether international trade agreements create hard law or soft law. Part II discusses the political economy of contemporary global trade issues, including the rise of intraindustry trade and discrimination in international trade. Part III addresses the recent trend towards regionalism and trade blocs, focusing on the EC and NAFTA, and their economic implications. Finally, Part IV presents the issues of commodity trade stabilization for minerals and oil, including both land-based and seabed commodities.

Of the stabilization schemes proposed to ease the liberalization of quota-driven, price-managed domestic markets for several "essential" commodities, the wide price band - based on a moving average of nominal border prices - is the least offensive. It provides benefits when price movements are extreme but preserves average international price signals.