Prices of various commodities ranging from crude oil to soybean to rubber to corn to copper and rhodium have increased since the beginning of 2021, with some of them gaining over 10 percent. This uptick is being termed a “new supercycle”. What is happening? Demand is building as industries across the globe try to recoup from the coronavirus shock. The likelihood of a pent-up demand across sectors is real. Speculators have bet on a further rise. Add in China, whose buying frenzy is driving up commodity prices. A weak US dollar and stimulus packages in some countries are also aiding the trend. Experts see the new supercycle continuing through 2022.