What's needed for manipulating smithore prices?

[turssi]

Just saw a nice turn 11 manipulation by BRAD:

Buy all smithore, have 0 mules in the shops and 2 empty plots on turn 12:

The sell price from turn 11 remained the same.

Of course he managed to buy one smithore at 177 on turn 11...

So what makes the price go up or down? The situation above keeps the price stable.

[Rogue Cat]

Easy, each 2 ore units will make a MULE for next turn. If there is shortage of ore or MULE and there are "open plots" without MULEs, the ore demand will increase, aswell as its price. By leaving some empty plots (around 3 or so) you can inflate the ore price, as long as there are little or no MULEs at the corral. You might also see some players setting MULEs free by equiping them with the food outfit and then releasing them out of town.

If no player buys any ore unit and no more MULEs are required to fill the corral, the price will fall. However, if any unit is bought/traded among players, the ore price will remain close to the paid price.

Other than that, the amount of produced ore will affect the price too. If there is no ore production and players have small amounts, the price is likely to increase. On the other hand, if there is massive ore production, the price will fall soon.

You can affect the price of ANY item that way. But it's much easier to cause the price of ore rise by causing shortage (This might cost you some cash, so be careful when doing it). Food and energy can be used in the same way, but in very rare times. If you happen to be the only one having food production, you can make more money that with ore and crystite if there is food shortage, keeping the price high as long as any other player buys it from you. Same for energy in the same case.