Price Reporter
Fastmarkets is an independent commodity pricing and information organisation with over 500 staff. We are fuelled by values that bring us all together and are united by a collective passion to make a difference. We are supported by a working model that we call “Working 3.0” that is based on flexibility and trust, which allows us to bring our best selves to work every day.
Fastmarkets is the most trusted Price Reporting Agency (PRA) in the metals, mining, agriculture, forest products, and energy transition markets. Our price data, forecasts, and market analyses give our customers strategic advantage in complex, volatile, often opaque markets. Our events provide forums for market participants to come together, trade, and talk through the critical issues of our times.
We are making a difference. Fastmarkets works to create transparent commodity markets through our reliable and trusted price data and market intelligence. The markets we serve are central to how economies work and are essential for our lives. By doing this, Fastmarkets helps our customers build a more sustainable world. We are built on a 130-year foundation while bringing a digital platform to market, combining the currency of trust with the power of digital.
Most importantly, we are fuelled by our teams that, across the globe, are supporting the supply chains of crucial commodities. With a deep sense of purpose and belonging, we are building an extraordinary future – together. If you would like to help build the future, we hope you will join us on our journey.
Fastmarkets was founded in 1913 (as Metal Bulletin) and is a privately held UK-registered company. It is owned by global private equity firm Astorg, a specialist investor in healthcare, software, technology, business services and technology-based industrial companies.
About The Role
The price reporter role fosters expertise in one or several metal markets and produce quality prices and news in line with the company’s PRA approach as well as working within a regional and global team to support the development and adoption of Fastmarkets' benchmark prices.
This role focuses on pricing specific markets, as well as publishing market reports, breaking news, interviews and in-depth features. The role also includes nurturing a strong network and attending occasional events. The price reporter will report to the Europe Technology and Energy Metals Editor, and work closely with colleagues in Europe, the Americas and China.
Fastmarkets, a world-leader in global metals markets, is a fast-growing company with progressive policies such as flexible working and a 4.5 day working week. The price reporter exemplifies the heart of Fastmarkets’ strategy as an industry-leading price provider and operates within a global network of skilled reporters and dedicated resources that offer training, ensure data integrity and enforce strict pricing procedures in line with industry compliance principles. There is scope to review, launch and promote prices and advise senior editorial members of market opportunities. Travel and engaging directly with market participants is also part of the role.
Principal Accountabilities
Foster in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals, supply chain, end-uses and key participants for specific markets to generate representative prices and world-class content.
Collect pricing data and set prices in line with the company’s robust methodology, price specifications and IOSCO principles, and work with colleagues to launch new prices in strategic areas.
Back colleagues up on their pricing patches to provide cover and consistency for the market and build up a wider knowledge base.
Peer review prices to verify that processes have been followed and editorial judgement applied correctly to ensure our prices are representative.
Write market commentaries, breaking news and insightful copy with PRA angles, to support the growth in readership and the use of Fastmarkets’ prices in physical and financial contracts.
Manage and expand the number of industry contacts that submit pricing data and give news exclusives, using all means of communication including face-to-face meetings, conference attendance in the UK and abroad and networking.
Handle questions from contacts and the market about the dynamics of particular pricing sessions, seeking guidance from senior reporters or editors when inquiries are sensitive, to make our processes and judgement transparent to the market.
Assist the editors to review and manage the existing pipeline of prices and identify new price launch opportunities.
Help foster Fastmarkets’ prices and expertise through the team’s market engagement plan, which includes producing PRA content, white papers and infographics, participating to internal and external events, posting on social media, and attending industry meetings
Key interfaces
Work with a team of regional price reporters to communicate, define and execute the daily agenda of content and prices in coordination with the global team.
Report to regional editor and follow guidance from senior reporters within the team. Attend training courses.
When necessary liaise with other divisions of Fastmarkets (price development team, marketing and events) to help implement the company’s PRA strategy.
Engage with major industry participants (traders, producers, consumers and brokers) about the markets you cover, in line with the team’s market engagement plan.
Skills And Knowledge
A high level of written and spoken English. Knowledge of another language is helpful but not required.
An interest in and understanding of financial markets and commodities.
Strong networking and communication skills, and good confident telephone manner.
Ability to work with discipline and dynamism, and take initiatives to cover stories and find information out.
Team player who fosters excellent working culture and acts - both internally and externally - in a courteous and professional manner with impeccable integrity.
General curiosity in expanding market knowledge and commitment to join in projects and take part in training courses.
Ability to work with numbers and spreadsheets and produce analytical editorial copy.
People skills to answer queries about prices and particular pricing sessions