Polymer Prices World Regions

China Standard Thermoplastics May 2016: Feedstock quotes slide / Following initial downtrend, rise in oil and end to maintenance cycle take polymer notations up / Consumption in line with expectations / Prices likely to remain soft in June

Russia May 2016: Most notations roll over / Despite slide, LDPE remains high-priced / PVC still inching up following outage in Angarsk / Little change expected for June

China Engineering Thermoplastics April 2016: Increase in oil and tight supply drive up most feedstocks / Polymer notations firm to rising / PMMA skyrockets / Outlook for May mostly seasonally normal

Russia April 2016: Maintenance and FM takes LDPE up / HDPE crumbles / Logistical problems drive up PP and PS / PVC and PET see gains

North America April 2016: Polyethylene rises again / PP drifting down / PVC and polystyrene pointing up / ABS and PA 6 with notable increases / PC and PA 6.6 continue to erode

China Standard Thermoplastics April 2016: Ethylene and styrene point down while propylene stays firm / Downtrend for polymers sets in by mid-month / Demand higher in first half of April / Inventory build-up / May business likely to be seasonally normal

China Engineering Thermoplastics March 2016: Tight supply and strong demand drive up feedstock costs / ABS and PC rising, while other grades remain firm / Demand quite strong / Prospects for April range from stability to slight increases

North America March 2016: PE makes up some lost ground / High-priced PP headed for a correction / Increase in PVC comes as a surprise / Despite pressure, PS still holds stable / Engineering thermoplastics continue to tumble

China Standard Thermoplastics March 2016: Peak of maintenance cycle pushes feedstock costs higher / Polymer prices rise significantly / Strong demand / Inventory levels mostly normal, with some materials trending short / Further uptrend in April

Russia March 2016: Force majeure at Angarsk continues to drive PVC up / LDPE also rising / HDPE injection moulding grades slide, correcting earlier imbalance / No significant changes for PP and PS

China Engineering Thermoplastics February 2016: Cost of key feedstocks rises / ABS and PC point up, while PA remains depressed / Consumption considered satisfactory despite Chinese New Year holidays / March outlook positive

North America February 2016: Little market impulses / PE descends / PP's rise comes to an end / PVC treads water / PS slides / Engineering thermoplastics remain under pressure

Russia February 2016: Force majeure at Angarsk production hub lifts PVC and LDPE notations / All other grades mostly tread water / Exchange rate fluctuations propel PET higher once again

China Standard Thermoplastics February 2016: Feedstock costs rise on back of tight supply and post-holiday demand / Processors resume activity in mid-February / Demand in line with expectations / Domestic polymer prices mostly firm / Import quotes rising

China Engineering Thermoplastics January 2016: Butadiene and styrene rise while other feedstocks point down / Polymer prices firm / ABS and PC rise slightly / Consumption in line with expectations / Processors gearing down for Chinese New Year holidays

North America January 2016: PE continues to slide / PP proceeds to climb / PVC and PS stuck / Engineering thermoplastics pointing down

China Standard Thermoplastics January 2016: C2 and C3 point down, while styrene rises / Polymers mostly firm / Local producers manage to lift some notations slightly ahead of Chinese New Year holidays / Imports trending up / Demand normal for the season

Russia January 2016: Notations mostly roll over amid little activity / Volatile exchange rate drives up PVC and PET / Respective trends expected to continue into February / PS catching its breath before renewed uptrend?

North America December 2015: PE holds stable / PP continues to rise / PVC crumbling / PS prices roll over / Engineering thermoplastics notations stable to down

China Engineering Thermoplastics December 2015: Feedstocks rise / Only benzene and PX point down / Polymer notations recede / Only PC firms / Demand slightly higher than in November / Processors could stock up in January ahead of Chinese New Year holidays

Russia December 2015: PE and PVC notations cave in across a broad front / PET firms / PP and PS trending sideways / Prices expected to stabilise in January

China Standard Thermoplastics December 2015: Feedstock notations firm / Domestic producers fail to lift polymer prices / Cost of imports continues to slide / National polymer inventory trending slightly long amid flat demand

China Engineering Thermoplastics November 2015: Feedstock costs trending down / Polymer notations continue to drop / PA sees largest fall / Consumption at normal levels / Little change expected in December

North America November 2015: PE moves sideways as expected / PP edges up another notch / PVC continues to soften / PS bottoms out / ABS recovers / PC and polyamide still under pressure

Russia November 2015: Second month of declines / PS once again the exception / Underlying market dynamics unchanged / Price fall largely the result of end-of-year slowdown / December predictions range from stability to further decreases