Polymer Prices Standard Thermoplastics

Polypropylene December 2015: Upward momentum gradually lessens / Tight market / C3 trending downward / Integrated producers seek “structural changes” in compounds segment

Styrenics December 2015: Slight SM increase generates updraught for notations / Demand above expectations / Supply tightness especially for PS / Minor SM drop may result in weak rollover in January

PVC December 2015: Base grades caught in strong rollover / Blends stable / Paste notations rise slightly / Costs expected to fall in January / Demand likely to pick up

Standard Thermoplastics Trend December 2015: Notations move up / PE, PP and PS hikes mostly caused by supply bottlenecks / Bank holidays curtail demand / No signs of improvement

Polyethylene November 2015: Tight market drives notations up / Producers insist on their "new normal" ultra-high margins / Costs play virtually no role / Further increases likely in December

Polypropylene November 2015: Producers pocket most of cost relief / Tight supply meets lively demand / No holds barred in widening margins / Hikes possible in December

PVC November 2015: Slight declines as notations are caught in a weak rollover / Robust demand / Some processors stock up ahead of the new year / Stability likely despite C2 rise

Styrenics November 2015: Slight fall in SM ushers in differing price trends / Availability tight / PS has bottomed out / EPS and ABS likely to follow in December

Standard Thermoplastics Trend November 2015: Prices oblivious to cost movements / Market situation dictates / PE prices move up / Producers gain margin improvements with PP and styrenics

Polyethylene October 2015: Producers defend their margins again / Price declines largely limited to cost reduction / Imports fill many European gaps / Stability on the horizon

Polypropylene October 2015: Producers pass on all of their cost relief / Pressure from global upstream markets / Price slide likely to slow in November

Styrenics October 2015: Crash in SM takes notations down by triple digits / PS and EPS insulation producers improve margins / Costs mostly passed on / Additional downtrend expected

PVC October 2015: Notations continue to fall / Ethylene and additive costs down / Market balanced despite production outages / Only compounds prices expected to drop further in November

Standard Thermoplastics Trend October 2015: Declines at best equal to cost reduction / PP producers restrict output to pocket some of the lower costs / PS could slip further

Polyethylene September 2015: Notations fall significantly more than the monomer reference price / HD grades tend somewhat firmer / Many converters hold back with their buying activities / Price decline in October likely to be less marked than before

PVC September 2015: Producers pass on ethylene cost relief / Margins successfully defended / Cheap olefins pressure additives / Tough negotiations on the table in October

Styrenics September 2015: Standard grades mostly follow SM reference / EPS and ABS also pulled down / Significant acceleration in October caused by styrenics monomer crash

Polypropylene September 2015: Rebates for standard grades exceed monomer's fall / Downswing loses momentum / Prices to continue downward in October / VW crisis clouds compound outlook

Standard Thermoplastics Trend September 2015: Fall in polyolefin notations exceeds cost reduction / PVC and PS declines in line with the feedstocks / Demand more subdued than expected

Polyethylene August 2015: Price cuts slightly exceed cost reduction / Market situation returning to normal / Imports improve supply situation / Specified HD types remain short / Further significant reductions expected in September

Styrenics August 2015: Notations give way / Rebates mostly exceed cost relief / Summer lull and expectations of price drop curb demand / Fresh SM decline will trigger further concessions

Polypropylene August 2015: Price reductions slightly greater than price relief / Producers‘ margins still well-padded / Market trending long / Downslide will gather speed in September

PVC August 2015: Producers pass on proportionate cost rise / Tough price round ends in a stalemate / Fall in titanium dioxide impacts rigid blends / Additional declines expected in September

Standard Thermoplastics Trend August 2015: Price cuts for PE and PVC still smaller than cost reduction / PP often a little higher / PS follows closely in the footsteps of SM / Imports more plentiful / Continuing price pressure

Polyethylene July 2015: Weak rollover dominates / Supply not yet sufficiently balanced / An improvement is nevertheless evident / Prices expected to fall in August / Demand will dictate the size of the reductions