The Bceao's May 2021 Monthly Statistics Bulletin analyzed commodity prices as well as international stock market indices. It shows that the international stock market indices continued their upward trend.

According to the Bceao's May 2021 Monthly Statistics Bulletin, international stock market indices maintained their upward momentum at the end of May 2021. "The most significant increases were observed at the level of the Nasdaq Composite (+44.9%), the Standard & Poor's 500 (+38.1%), CAC 40 (+37.3%), Dow Jones (+36.0%), Dax (33.1%), EuroStoxx 50 (+32 .1%) and the Nikkei 225 (+31.9%). On the foreign exchange market, the European currency appreciated over one year against the Japanese yen (+12.2%) and the US dollar (+9.6%). On the other hand, it depreciated against the pound sterling (-4.5%) and the yuan (-2.2%)”, specifies the Bceao.

Crude oil prices on international markets (average Wti, Brent, Dubai), expressed in US dollars, recorded an annual increase of 112.7% to stand at 66.55 dollars in May 2021. On the same period, similar trends, but of lesser magnitude, were also observed for the main raw materials exported by the countries of the Union. Indeed, compared to the same period of the previous year, prices are on the rise for rubber (+56.4%), cotton (+48.9%), coffee (+19.9 %), cashew nuts (+12.1%), gold (+7.9%) and cocoa (+4.1%). This upward trend in prices is also observed at the level of imported food products, in particular oils (+108.0%), sugar (+41.2%) and wheat (+23.4%). On the other hand, informs the Bceao, rice prices fell by 26.3% during the period under review compared to May 2020.