Polymer Prices Engineering Thermoplastics

Engineering Thermoplastics October 2014: Price erosion with PC and PA 6 / Other types remain stable / PMMA up slightly / Cost reductions for benzene and butadiene put further pressure on PC and polyamides

Engineering Thermoplastics September 2014: Polyamides show first signs of price erosion as demand from auto industry cools / Other materials stable / Business likely to remain weak in October

Engineering Thermoplastics August 2014: ABS and PC feel the after-effects of July's benzene contract rise / Other materials mostly stable / Costs remain high despite a slight relaxation

Engineering Thermoplastics July 2014: Rising costs drive up ABS, PC, some PA grades and PMMA / PBT, POM and PP stable / Demand still solid despite holiday season / Upward pressure

Engineering Thermoplastics June 2014: Calm prevails / Quarterly agreements forestall rises in final month of Q2 / July expected to see a spate of increases

Engineering Thermoplastics May 2014: Prices are a mixed bag / PC up / Polyamides and PBT stable / POM sees small gains / No clear direction recognisable for June either / PMMA under upward pressure

Engineering Thermoplastics April 2014: Price upswing gains momentum / PA 6, POM and PMMA rise / PC, PA 6.6 and PBT flat / Automotive demand still lively / More hikes on the horizon

Engineering Thermoplastics March 2014: Benzene derivatives show first signs of a rise / Livelier demand / Imports quash producers' hopes of lifting price of standard materials / Hikes likely as new quarter gets underway

Engineering Thermoplastics February 2014: First PC and POM hikes grip / Rising production costs passed on / Polyamide still stable but trending up / Notations set to rise in March

Engineering Thermoplastics January 2014: Market still shows signs of weakness / Cost rises almost impossible to push through / Renewed leap in benzene contract pressures producers / Prices due to rise

Engineering Thermoplastics December 2013: Little price erosion / Lively automotive demand and quarterly contracts support notations / Upward pressure delays signing of longer-term contracts

Engineering Thermoplastics November 2013: Notations continue to crumble / PA defies price pressure / PC and POM down / Automotive better than scheduled / Benzene up in December / Stabilisation in sight

Engineering Thermoplastics October 2013: ABS and POM drift down / Other types predominantly stable / Downward pressure mounts due to drop in benzene price / C4 costs and rugged demand should counteract the development

Engineering Thermoplastics September 2013: Little movement with traditional engineering polymers / Price increases for commodity-related ABS and PP compounds / Situation likely to remain predominantly calm in October

Engineering Thermoplastics August 2013: Still little movement with most types / PP compounds up due to C3 / Cost increases rattle foundations in September / Upward pressure set to rise

Engineering Thermoplastics July 2013: Smooth Q3 transition / Most prices roll over / Slight drops in ABS and PP / No ordering slump / Despite declining feedstock costs, binding Q3 contracts dictate landscape

Engineering Thermoplastics June 2013: Situation still balanced / Supply adjusted to demand / Notations predominantly stable / Butadiene price plummets / Benzene also down / Automotive industry brings stability

Engineering Thermoplastics May 2013: Little movement on the price front / Hoped-for stimulus fails to materialise / Supply adequate despite production cutbacks / Stable costs likely to produce upswing in full working month of June

Engineering Thermoplastics April 2013: Standard grades cripple ABS and PP compounds / PC and PMMA benefit from better weather / All other types stable / Benzene bounces back in May

Engineering Thermoplastics March 2013: Rollover dominates / ABS and PA 6 weaken / POM slips amid mounting pressure from copolymer imports / PP lifted by higher C3 window / All signs point to rises in April

Engineering Thermoplastics in February 2013: Distribution market sheds more feathers / Supply restrictions meet with weak demand / Direct business starts to pick up / All signs point to hikes in March

Engineering Thermoplastics in January 2013: New year begins on a subdued note / Despite expensive benzene, ABS and PC barely move / PA, POM and PMMA prices down / Little risk of hikes, except for PP

Engineering Thermoplastics in December 2012: Rollover dominates / Occasional signs of weakness / Supply suffices to meet sluggish demand / Rising benzene notations increasingly make themselves felt / Fresh calls for price hikes for ABS and PC

Engineering Thermoplastics in November 2012: Subdued demand depresses notations / Adequate supply despite production cutbacks / Rising imports of standard grades / Little change expected for December

Engineering Thermoplastics in October 2012: All markets calm / Costs and prices stay put at high level / Depressed demand / Moderate price pressure until year-end