The initial prices are set in goods.ini, as well as the best price modifier and worst price modifier, but the planets i think modify this price in the market_commodities.ini, not exactly sure though.

I did some looking into this.

You can either change the base prices in the goods.ini file but that wouldnt do much good as each base has a different modifier for each good it sells or buys.

The modifier info for each base is kept in market_commodities.ini

[BaseGood
base = Li01_01_base
MarketGood = commodity_boron, 0, -1, 150, 500, 0, 1.300000
MarketGood = commodity_gold, 0, -1, 0, 0, 1, 2

I havent decrypted all the info but I have found that boron is bought at Planet Manhattan at the price of 155. The base price for Boron is 120 which can be found in the goods.ini

120 * 1.3 = 156

Not sure what happens to the extra credit but perhaps it is rounded off, the 0, or 1 in the second to last place is what determines sell or buy (0 = buy, 1 = sell) and the last value is the modifier on the base price of the good.
Am as yetunsure of the 150,500 values but assume it would be best to leave those in on goods that intended to be bought. (I have an assumption that they are used in a supply demand system but have no proof to back that up.)

MarketGood = commodity_gold, 0, -1, 0, 0, 1, 2

As you can see in the gold commodity the 1 value in the second to last place is 1 indicating that the base buys this good, and the last place value of 2 being the modifier on the base price of gold being bought at this particular base.

As for the bases themselves...
Li01_01_base = Liberty system, 1st system, 1st base... this is Planet Manhattan

Im sure that there is an ini somewhere that has names for each base but as of yet have not found it.

You could always go about and figure out which base sells what, and then compare it to the ini file.
but here is a quick rundown of what i have found doing so far...

Li01_01_base = Planet Manhattan
Li01_02_base = Planet Pittsburg
Li01_06_base = Trenton Outpost
Li01_07_base = either Baltimore or Norfolk Shipyard
Li01_08_base = Newark Station
Li01_09_base = West Point Military Academy
Li01_11_base = Fort Bush
Li01_14_base = either Baltimore or Norfolk Shipyard

Hope this helps...

The first number refers to the level you need to buy that good (all zero for goods). The second number is the faction reputation you need to buy a good (goes from -1 to 1). For example 0.3 would mean you need a faction reputation three notches into the positive.

Is there any possibility to connect the price modifier to some sort of randomizer. that slowly changes prices up and down on diffrent systems.

i dont see whats wrong with either drug or artifact smuggeling... i can buy artifacts/drugs for ca 200/unit and sell for around 1500

Of course u can always go to Omega-11 and kill Daumann transports and get a lot of diamonds 4 free =)