The basic materials sector is a category of stocks that accounts for companies involved with the discovery, development and processing of raw materials. The sector includes the mining and refining of metals, chemical producers and forestry products. The basic materials sector is sensitive to changes in the business cycle. Because it supplies materials for...
The trade-weighted dollar index was introduced in 1998 for two primary reasons. The first was the introduction of the euro, which eliminated several of the currencies in the standard dollar index; the second was to keep pace with new developments in US trade. In the standard US dollar index, a significant weight is given to the euro. To more accurately reflect...