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

2020 High

$2,102

from daily trading data

2020 Low

$1,566

from daily trading data

Year-End Close

$1,976

last trading day of 2020

Lead Price Chart, 2005 to 2025

Annual average lead price per tonne, 2005 to 2025, with 2020 marked.

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. Daily trading data shows lead moved between a low of $1,566 and a high of $2,102 during the year, ending 2020 at $1,976. 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. Daily prices ranged from a low of $1,566 to a high of $2,102, and the year closed at $1,976. 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.