Lead Price in 2020

In 2020, the price of lead averaged $1,825 per tonne, down 8.6% from the year before. This page covers the 2020 average, high, low, and year-end close, the events that moved the market, and what that lead would be worth in today's dollars.

2020 Average

$1,825

LME annual average, USD/tonne

Change vs 2019

-8.6%

from $1,997 in 2019

What happened to the lead price in 2020

Lead averaged $1,825 per tonne in 2020, down 8.6% from $1,997 the year before. The notable development of 2020: COVID-19 demand shock.

A COVID dip near $1,825 gave way to energy-crisis firmness above $2,100 in 2021-2022, before a gentle softening toward $1,960 by 2025.

Adjusted for inflation, lead's 2020 average of $1,825 equals about $2,273 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 2020?

Lead averaged $1,825 per tonne in 2020, based on World Bank and LME annual average data. That average was down 8.6% from $1,997 in 2019.

What is a 2020 lead price worth in today's dollars?

Adjusted with the US Consumer Price Index, lead's 2020 average of $1,825 works out to roughly $2,273 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 2020?

The defining story of 2020: COVID-19 demand shock. Against that backdrop, the annual average fell 8.6%, from $1,997 in 2019 to $1,825.

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.