Polymer Prices Standard Thermoplastics

Standard thermoplastics February 2007: Films business buzzes / Construction industry still quiet / Announced increases only just begin to bite / Polyolefins firm / PVC mixed / PS and EPS softer / Prices set to climb considerably in March

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of February 2007: Capacity utilisation and supply normal / Producer-planned hikes not yet felt / Polyolefins firmer, PVC softer but stable / Steep drop in PS prices leads to hoarding / Slight discounts also for EPS

Standard thermoplastics January 2007: No turnaround / PE, PP and EPS basically roll over / PVC slips / PS up slightly / Supply situation normal / Rises announced for polyolefins and PVC

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of January 2007: Normal start to the year / Most prices firmer / Only PVC slightly softer / Supplies adequate / No sign of producers´ hoped-for turnaround

Standard thermoplastics December 2006: Only a few small "Christmas gifts" / Polyolefins and PS still soft / PVC and EPS firm / Good order book situation for January / Prices set to rise again?

Standard thermoplastics trend December 2006: Waiting for year-end bargains / Polyolefins softer / PVC and EPS firm / Plant outages persist

Standard thermoplastics November 2006: Very differentiated picture / Polyolefins show sharp drop / PS tends weaker / PVC and EPS more robust / Overcapacity pressures notations / Steep hikes announced for January

Standard thermoplastics trend November 2006: Mixed picture / Polyolefin prices come down significantly / PVC continues to climb / PS weakening / EPS rolls over as market ceiling reached

Standard thermoplastics October 2006: Slack orders prompt price concessions for PE / Rollover for PP and PS / Demand pushes PVC still higher / EPS upsurge appears to be nearing its limit

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of October 2006: Market situation dampens producers´ demands / PE just short of rollover / PVC, PP and PS up slightly / EPS still tight but upward curve somewhat flatter

Standard thermoplastics in September 2006: Commodities hit by wave of price rises / Battle for volumes / Demand still strong / Significant increases also on the horizon for October

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of September: Rises take hold on a broad front / PE and PVC up sharply, PP advances slowly / PS producers at last improve margins / EPS situation still dramatic

Standard thermoplastics at the end of August 2006: PE injection moulding grades, PP and PVC stable / PE film grades up slightly / PS increase less than expected / EPS: "Blind" purchases / Further hikes on the agenda for September

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of August 2006: Uneven picture / PE film grades moving up / Injection moulding polyolefins and PVC stable / No relief in styrenics / EPS still short

Standard thermoplastics at the end of July 2006: Styrenics move up again significantly / Other commodities firm / Many advance purchases for August / Summer heat leads to curbing of plant output and temporary shutdowns / Distribution problems

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of July 2006: Only PS and EPS higher / Packaging and profiles see strong demand / Sufficient volumes available / Prices mainly stable

Standard thermoplastics at the end of June 2006: High prices stifle purchasing activity / Long inventories propel exports / Production shortfall for EPS pushes notations higher

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of June 2006: High prices put buyers off / Ethylene market rather unstable / Supply situation for several polymers tight / EPS producers´ inventories at historic low

Standard thermoplastics at the end of May 2006: Favourable economic situation drives prices up / All grades firm again / Virtually no shortages except for EPS / Demand expected to remain high

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of May 2006: Adequate supply of all grades / Notations pointing sharply upward / Feedstock situation still shaky

Standard thermoplastics at the end of April 2006: Record oil price triggers battle for volumes / Olefin prices unstable with crackers down / No uniform price picture / Hikes likely in May

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of April: Supplies adequate / Demand variable / Some price targets taken back

Standard thermoplastics at the end of March 2006: Price rises remain well below sellers´ demands / Reluctance to buy and oversupply dampen upswing / Q2: Olefin contracts higher

Standard thermoplastics at the beginning of March: Moderate price increases / Polyolefin plants back on line / Supplies still limited

Standard thermoplastics end of February: Hikes for polyolefins and styrenics / Order volume exceeds available supply / Notations stable, but pointing upward / Demand normal to good