One of the ways that my firm helps organizations is by forecasting commodity prices. That is, we study specific commodities (e.g. High Density Polyethylene) and, using both quantitative models as well as qualitative analysis, provide a view as to what will happen to the prices of those commodities 6 to 12 months out. It’s not a perfect science but it’s helpful in driving better decision making.
Every so often, I’ll have someone ask us for a detailed 24 month forecast. And every time, my answer is the same.