China’s 150 Million Electric Bicycles Bolstering Lead Demand: Commodities - Bloomberg

The global glut in lead is falling to a five-year low as China, the biggest buyer, consumes a record amount to make batteries for everything from cars to emergency lighting to electric bicycles. The supply surplus will drop to 8,000 metric tons in 2012 from 78,000 tons this year as China, which accounts for about 44 percent of global demand, uses 9.5 percent more, Morgan Stanley estimates. Prices may rise as much as 19 percent to $2,500 a ton next year, according to the median estimate of 18 producers, analysts and traders surveyed by Bloomberg. While lead slumped 18 percent this year amid mounting investor concern that slower economic growth will sap the use of raw materials, analysts and traders say prices will rally because consumption is expanding. Demand will advance for a 10th consecutive year in 2012, and for at least four more years after that, Morgan Stanley predicts.

What's on Your Face? Ten Most Toxic Cosmetics

The average American woman uses 12 health and beauty products every morning before leaving the house. But the brands women rely on to look their best may be hiding harsh chemicals that have been linked to cancer, organ failure and birth defects. Cosmetics aren't subject to the same oversight as food and pharmaceuticals, according to the Food & Drug Administration. The FDA doesn't have the responsibility to approve new ingredients or issue safety recalls. It's up to the manufacturer to decide whether a product is safe. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group ranks cosmetics containing chemicals with known or suspected health risks. The group considers each of the following brands to be "high hazard," based on information provided by the companies, the U.S. government and scientific studies.