Where is the power? In global markets?
The web allows even "remote" resource hinterlands like NorthCoast access to global market information. The following page gives some sources, but the larger idea is to see the trends over the '90s.

For BC and especially the NorthCoast.Net area, the rise and fall of the YEN "explains" much of our recent history--- from the boom in forestry to its bust. But also the fortunes of the precious minerals and base metal mines regionally. Even to some extent the poor wheat prices. See Big Picture article for trades Stats with Pacific Rim.

But in NW BC it is the forestry sector that has the greatest impact.

PULP

Asian FLU Drags Prices DOWN

Note how Pulp tracks C$

LUMBER

See individual articles on Doman, West Fraser but especially Interfor. The latter shows how changes in currency drives sales revenue for NorthCoast forestry companies

COMEX US 2X4	THE RISE & FALL OF YEN	The fall of white wood market to Japan Note similarity timing to PULP and GOLD
Note Rise Japanese Market in 92, not > housing but value YEN

 GOLD

The Vancouver Stock Exchange plus much of the exploration activity regionally has been driven by the price of gold which looked to be quite steady throughout the early '90s. Then came Bre-X followed by the Asian crisis and gold has become just another commodity in a time of deflation.
Daily spot prices, as if you cared.

Kitco.com Decade

W A Y D O W N

Turbulent 1997

Silver acted differently than gold in 1997, primarily because of powerful speculators dabbling in world markets. The Eskay mine regionally has benefited handsomely from this rise in silver.

Copper also looked like a sure winner at 1$/ lb over the last decade. This has created several mines locally aimed at Japanese market. Bad move.

Optimist? Commodity deflation leveling out, but lasting several more years

The Asian crisis seemed to play itself out in late 1997 and the financial markets were optimistic in early 98. No longer. Both the C$ and the TSE lumber sub-index show the same down-up-down. This pattern could be duplicated many other places within the Canadian economic stats.