Lead Price in 2003
In 2003, the price of lead averaged $515 per tonne, up 13.7% from the year before. This page covers the 2003 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that lead would be worth in today's dollars.
2003 Average
$515
LME annual average, USD/tonne
Change vs 2002
+13.7%
from $453 in 2002
What happened to the lead price in 2003
Lead averaged $515 per tonne in 2003, up 13.7% from $453 the year before.
From an early-2000s trough near $450, the China supercycle and tightening supply spiked lead to about $2,580 in 2007, before the 2008 crisis crash.
Adjusted for inflation, lead's 2003 average of $515 equals about $902 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 2003?
What is a 2003 lead price worth in today's dollars?
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.