Polymer Prices Standard Thermoplastics

Standard Thermoplastics Styrenics September 2013: Passing on of SM costs drives PS and EPS to record heights / Processors buy only bare minimum / ABS prices rise slightly / Imminent price correction

Standard Thermoplastics Trend September 2013: Polyolefin rise held to cost increase / PVC and styrenics with slightly more momentum / No across-the-board easing / Only PE tending weaker

Standard Thermoplastics August 2013: Notations rise on a broad front and exceed costs / Demand in summer holiday season driven by pre-buying / Substantial increases likely in September

Standard Thermoplastics PVC August 2013: Base material hikes exceed monomer rise / Blending components drive compounds higher / Price momentum could pick up in September

Standard Thermoplastics Trend August 2013: Hikes overcompensate cost rise / Supply limited by production cuts and outages / Demand strong for a summer month / Prices could climb further

Standard Thermoplastics July 2013: All products rise despite stagnating costs / Market tight due to poor supply and normal demand / Monomer-plus-margin strategy drives calls for hikes

Standard Thermoplastics PVC July 2013: Notations surprisingly on the rise / Producers push through margin improvements / Market situation tightens / Cost surge fuels new demands

Standard Thermoplastics Trend July 2013: Moderate increases for most products / Sharp output cuts / Demand still sluggish / Rising crude oil notations support producer hike plans

Standard Thermoplastics June 2013: Margin improvement for PE smaller than hoped / Monomer boosts PP, PS and EPS / Tightness despite weak demand / Costs stable / More hikes ahead

Standard Thermoplastics PVC June 2013: Margins on S-PVC improve less than hoped / Blends rise on higher matrix / Paste rolls over / Hikes sought despite lower cost base

Standard Thermoplastics Trend June 2013: Producers push for margin improvement / Tighter supply supports plans for PE hikes / Other polymers moving higher / Demand still below expectations

Standard Thermoplastics May 2013: Producers hang onto some of their cost relief / Hopes of turnaround unfulfilled / Bottoming out points the way to balanced market / Hikes in June likely

Standard Thermoplastics PVC May 2013: Large percentage of cost reductions passed on / Plasticised compounds strong downward adjustment / Paste prices also falling / Consolidation in June

Standard Thermoplastics Trend May 2013: Naphtha rise not enough to trigger a run / Demand still modest / Ongoing battle for share of cost relief / No Turnaround in sight

Standard Thermoplastics April 2013: PE producers forced to pass on full cost reduction / PP holds up better / PVC and PS buyers also see price cuts / Rising trend in May possible

Standard Thermoplastics PVC April 2013: Most of ethylene decline is passed on for base grades / Plasticiser rebates pressure some products / Pastes hold up / Falling notations certain in May

Standard Thermoplastics Trend April 2013: Producers hold onto half of cost reductions / Falling naphtha strengthens converters' waiting game / Intensity of demand revival will decide further developments

Standard Thermoplastics in March 2013: Producers find it hard to pass on costs / Cold weather, soft markets and reluctant buyers dash hike hopes / Cost reduction and rising demand jockey for position in April

Standard Thermoplastics PVC March 2013: Deep freeze in building sector allows only minimal cost pass-through for S-PVC base / Rising plasticiser prices drive S-PVC (P) compounds / April picture dominated by rollover, despite falling ethylene notation

Standard Thermoplastics Trend March 2013: Falling costs upstream dash producers' hopes of triple-digit hikes / Polyolefins rise less than costs / Higher input prices added to PVC, PS and EPS / Supply in line with demand

Standard Thermoplastics PVC February 2013: Minor increases for base polymer / Additives stable / Paste grade flat / Weak building demand pressures / Pronounced upswing expected in spring

Standard Thermoplastics in February 2013: Most notations show little change / PE largely rolls over / PP and PVC up slightly / PS and EPS slightly softer / Demand slack / Upturn likely in March

Standard Thermoplastics Trend February 2013: Buyers turn a deaf ear on hike plans / Stable costs dampen momentum / Demand still slack / First upstream cost rises appear / Price spiral could turn upward

Standard Thermoplastics in January 2013: Price hikes come to a halt in mid-month / Producers still net reasonable margin gains / Slow start to demand / February likely similar

Standard Thermoplastics PVC January 2013: Producers manage to lift S-PVC base notations slightly / Matrix component in blends rising / Additives mostly stable / No movement for PVC pastes