The line graph illustrates the average monthly percentage changes in the prices of three metals—copper, nickel, and zinc—over the course of the year 2014.
Overall, while the price of nickel exhibited considerable fluctuations, copper and zinc demonstrated a more stable trend with gradual increases towards the year’s end.
Starting with copper, the monthly price change commenced at approximately 0% in January, subsequently declining to around -2.2% in February. Following this initial drop, copper prices fluctuated modestly between -1% and 1% from March to October, ultimately concluding at approximately -1.2% in December. This indicates a relatively stable yet slightly negative trend over the year, with the price never recovering to a positive change after February.
In contrast, the price of nickel displayed significant volatility, beginning at around -0.8% in January and plummeting to -2.8% in February. However, a notable recovery occurred in May, when prices peaked at 5.8%. Following this peak, nickel experienced further fluctuations, remaining between -1% and 3% until November, and finishing the year at about 1.2%. Meanwhile, zinc started at -0.5% in January, dropped to -1.8% in February, and reached a peak of 3.2% in July. By December, zinc prices concluded at approximately 2.2%, marking a noticeable upward shift, particularly in comparison to nickel, which had struggled to maintain a consistent upward trend throughout the year.