Polymer Prices Standard Thermoplastics

PVC October 2016: Producers fail to pass on full ethylene cost rise / Rise in blends notations steeper than for base grades / November business muted ahead of winter hibernation

Standard Thermoplastics Trend October 2016: Producers unable to pass on all costs / Slack demand from end markets / Margins deteriorate / Monthly price movement likely flat

Polypropylene September 2016: Price hike momentum loses steam over course of the month / Fear of bottlenecks proves unfounded / Only moderate increases / Cost pressure will continue to drive prices up in October

Styrenics September 2016: Suppliers trim peak PS and EPS notations / At times tough negotiations / Rollover for ABS / Demand rises as holidays end / Further declines expected after October's SM drop

Polyethylene September 2016: Producers' calls for hikes fizzle out into a rollover / Occasional price declines / Surprising calm prevails in post-holiday period / Slight cost pressure in October

PVC September 2016: Notations for base grades and E-PVC stagnate / Titanium dioxide and modifiers drive up rigid blends prices / Comparative calm on compounds front / Base grades likely to hold stable in October, while additive costs continue to rise

Standard Thermoplastics Trend September 2016: Only minor price erosion with PE / PP moves up following C3 turnaround / PVC and PS roll over / EPS falls slightly / Return to normality dominates the picture

Polyethylene August 2016: Prices continue to fall on a broad front / Suspension of orders by producers has little effect / Stabilisation towards the end of the month / Producers' targets look overambitious without support on the cost side

Polypropylene August 2016: Firming trend gradually takes hold / Still a few rebates / Compounds profit from standard PP declines earlier / September prices likely higher

Styrenics August 2016: PS and EPS roll over / ABS records small declines for standard grades / Peak holiday season determines demand / No significant movements expected for September

PVC August 2016: Unspectacular holiday month / Proportionate share of ethylene cost reduction is factored in / Only minor movements for the blends / September looks to be stable

Standard Thermoplastics Trend August 2016: Market situation begins to stabilise / PE cost decline passed on / PP slightly weaker / Tough struggles over PVC price cuts / All calm on the styrenics front

Polyethylene July 2016: Price decline gathers speed over course of the month / Many segments trending towards oversupply / Converters start building up stocks / Erosion expected to slow down in August

Styrenics July 2016: SM drop pulls notations down / Transactions vary greatly / Declines at times exceed cost reduction / Players anticipate little change going forward

Polypropylene July 2016: More and more rebates offered / Imports dash producers' hopes of passing on higher costs / Compounds mostly firm / Stabilisation likely in August

PVC July 2016: Base material market largely calm / Virtual explosion in titanium dioxide costs pushes rigid blends prices up / Flexible speciality grades also rise slightly

Standard Thermoplastics Trend July 2016: Additional price corrections / PE caves in despite rising C2 costs / PP and PVC still in a rollover / Styrenics plummet

Polyethylene June 2016: Rise in ethylene contract hardly has any impact / Buyers finally achieve long hoped-for turnaround / Notations start to slide / Prices likely to remain under pressure in July

Polypropylene June 2016: Producers' margins narrow slightly / Cost rise not passed through in full / Market well supplied / Horizontal cost movement in July

Styrenics June 2016: Rising prices after renewed SM increase / Large price range for agreements / Premiums mostly below increasing costs / Discounts likely in July

PVC June 2016: Notations reflect higher costs / Suppliers manage to realise slight margin gains / Titanium dioxide drives rigid blends up disproportionately / Additional firming expected in July

Standard Thermoplastics Trend June 2016: Higher feedstock costs push notations up / Occasional price cuts reported only for PE / Demand stronger than in May / Prices could crumble during the course of the month

Polyethylene May 2016: Producers fail to pass on costs in full / Imports boost supply / Demand subdued due to bank holidays / Despite rise in ethylene cost, rollover expected for June

Polypropylene May 2016: Standard material producers struggle to pass on higher costs / Tough negotiations likely in June / Compounds trend firm / Anxiety over new indexing plan

Styrenics May 2016: PS prices mostly unchanged / Weak rollover for EPS / ABS notations on the rise / Holidays and price speculations dampen demand / Hikes expected for June