Update on commodity index reweightings

A bit of an update to yesterday's news on reweightings in the Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (GSCI).

While we were searching to find the large changes in energy weigtings reported by the NY Post (see update in yesterday's GSCI post), we came across some notable shifts in the makeup of the Dow Jones-AIG Commodity Index.

The print edition of today's Financial Times reported notable changes in the Dow Jones-AIG's weightings for base metals and natural gas.

Base metal prices extended their slide, with nickel and zinc prices falling after an announcement by Dow Jones that it is adjusting the weightings of the 19 futures contracts in its Dow Jones-AIG Commodity Index. It said nickel would be cut to 2.7 per cent from 5.7 per cent and zinc would be cut to 2.8 per cent from 4.9 per cent.

Dow Jones said it would boost the weighting of US natural gas to 13 per cent from 7.3 per cent. The company rebalances its benchmark commodity index at the start of each year. Historically it reduces the weighting of the best performing commodities from the previous year, and increases the weighting of underperforming commodities.

Hope we're up to date on these issues. Sorry for the delay in posting, we had some difficulties in accessing & editing the blog earlier today.

And for more on the recent commodities action and base metals correction, please see Rob Kirby's FSO Monday market wrap up, as well as George Kleinman's latest article, "Collapse or Correction?". Good reading!