Lead Price in 2018

In 2018, the price of lead averaged $2,240 per tonne, down 3.2% from the year before. This page covers the 2018 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that lead would be worth in today's dollars.

2018 Average

$2,240

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 2017

-3.2%

from $2,315 in 2017

2018 High

$2,704

from daily trading data

2018 Low

$1,885

from daily trading data

Year-End Close

$2,007

last trading day of 2018

What happened to the lead price in 2018

Lead averaged $2,240 per tonne in 2018, down 3.2% from $2,315 the year before. Daily trading data shows lead moved between a low of $1,885 and a high of $2,704 during the year, ending 2018 at $2,007.

Lead traded in a broad $1,800 to $2,400 range through the 2010s, supported by battery demand but capped by ample supply.

Adjusted for inflation, lead's 2018 average of $2,240 equals about $2,875 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 2018?

Lead averaged $2,240 per tonne in 2018, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. Daily prices ranged from a low of $1,885 to a high of $2,704, and the year closed at $2,007. That average was down 3.2% from $2,315 in 2017.

What is a 2018 lead price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, lead's 2018 average of $2,240 works out to roughly $2,875 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.

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.