Industrial material prices rise sharply

The prices of industrial raw materials imported by France increased by 20.5% over one year in September, according to Insee. Copper, lithium, and rubber show strong increases, despite monthly changes. French companies that purchase raw materials abroad are facing a significant increase in several industrial inputs.

Indices reveal long-term trends

According to indices published by Insee on October 27, their prices expressed in euros have increased by 20.5% over one year in September 2026. However, the monthly increase slows to 1%, compared to 1.8% in August: behind the average, the differences between metals, rubber, and food products are considerable.

Material categories show divergence

Imported mineral raw materials have increased by 22.5% over twelve months. Non-ferrous metals show an increase of 32.9%, while ferrous metals decline slightly, by 0.9%. This divergence is important for companies whose purchases rely on very different materials: an average variation does not necessarily describe the real cost of a supply.

Strategic materials see major price jumps

Among the strategic materials monitored by Insee, copper costs 48.3% more than one year ago and lithium 74.3% more. Molybdenum increases by 45.2% over one year. These data concern commodity prices and not the selling prices of batteries, electrical equipment, or manufactured products.

Monthly changes highlight varied trends

The September changes also show that markets are not all progressing at the same pace. Cobalt falls by 24.2% over one month, while molybdenum gains 11%. Lithium loses 1.9% and copper increases by 1.6%. The monthly decline of some metals occurs after significant increases over the year: the two time frames must therefore be distinguished.

Rubber and fibers see strong increases

Rubber and textile fibers are also becoming more expensive. Agro-industrial raw materials show a more moderate annual increase of 6.5%, but some components deviate strongly. Natural rubber increases by 42.9% over one year, with an acceleration of 8.1% for the month of September alone. Natural textile fibers increase by 30.8% over twelve months. Conversely, leather is down 2.7%.

Sectoral impact of material costs

These differences can affect cost calculations in sectors that use these materials, notably industrial equipment, tires, textiles, and electrical components. However, their impact depends on purchase contracts, stocks, price coverage, and the share of each material in the final product.

Energy prices add to pressure

Energy: a second pressure on purchases. The same Insee report shows that the average price of Brent crude oil reached 101.8 dollars per barrel in September. Its price in euros increased by 16.5% over one month, compared to 3.3% in August. The European reference gas TTF was established at 75.3 euros per megawatt-hour on average monthly, with an increase of 21.2% over one month.

Energy and raw material costs combine

For companies that consume a lot of energy and raw materials, these two categories of expenses can accumulate. However, energy prices and imported commodity indices describe upstream markets: they do not constitute a direct measure of the bills paid by each company.

Food imports show contrasting trends

Imported food products follow a different trajectory. The overall index of imported food raw materials declines by 1.3% over one year. However, cereals increase by 31.7% and sugar by 15.7%, while tropical products decrease by 20.4%. The contrast highlights the interest in examining product categories rather than deducing the evolution of each ingredient from the overall food index.

Consumer prices lag behind

For comparison, the consumer prices measured by Insee for September increased by 3.1% over one year, with 1.4% for food. These statistics do not concern the same products or the same stage of price formation. For companies and households alike, the next figures will allow observation of whether the tensions observed in supplies persist and to what extent they are passed on to final prices.