Loading ...I have to assume the central planners feel responsible for the public greater good, and to make sure there are important products available, and at the cheapest possible price.
Re your, “Again, the culprits who matter are the big hedge fund managers playing the derivatives / futures.”
The big hedge fund managers are probably puppets of the central planners, that do as they are told with a phone call. Didn’t we all decide long ago JP Morgan Chase and Goldman Sachs were involved? Basically, commodity producers are generally screwed. Farmers too. Only occasionally do they get a happy run-up in prices, then they invest in more capacity, and down goes their price again. They can’t win.
Even if you are a machinist, or own a machine shop, your “widget” business is too competitive and not very lucrative. You don’t get any gov’t support. If you build houses? You do. Low interest rates and tax breaks on interest and taxes paid. Plus they don’t import houses from China YET. 🙂
If you are a saver? Same thing, no gov’t support. F/U too. Zero interest.
The bottom line: Savers and Producers are screwed for the greater good. Borrowers and spenders are rewarded.