Lead Price in 1990

In 1990, the price of lead averaged $811 per tonne, up 20.5% from the year before. This page covers the 1990 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that lead would be worth in today's dollars.

1990 Average

$811

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 1989

+20.5%

from $673 in 1989

What happened to the lead price in 1990

Lead averaged $811 per tonne in 1990, climbing 20.5% from the $673 average of 1989. The notable development of 1990: Late-1980s/1990 cyclical peak.

Lead peaked early in the decade around $810, then drifted lower through the 1990s on oversupply and the Asian financial crisis.

Adjusted for inflation, lead's 1990 average of $811 equals about $2,000 in today's dollars. The conversion uses US Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the price of lead in 1990?

Lead averaged $811 per tonne in 1990, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was up 20.5% from $673 in 1989.

What is a 1990 lead price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, lead's 1990 average of $811 works out to roughly $2,000 in today's dollars, using 2025 as the CPI base year. The conversion uses BLS CPI-U annual averages, so treat it as a close approximation rather than an exact figure.

What moved the lead price in 1990?

The defining story of 1990: Late-1980s/1990 cyclical peak. Against that backdrop, the annual average climbed 20.5%, from $673 in 1989 to $811.

Annual averages are World Bank and LME lead prices per tonne in US dollars (LME cash and settlement basis). The 2025 figure is preliminary. Where daily data exists, the per-year high, low, and close come from MetalCharts historical data. Inflation adjustments use BLS CPI-U annual averages.