Polymer Prices World Regions

Russia April 2014: Polyethylene on the up due to product shortage / Otherwise prices mainly stable / Ukraine conflict has little effect

North America April 2014: Price-hike phase has ended / PE and PVC stagnate / PP and PS down / All signs point to further declines / Engineering thermoplastics market remains oversupplied

China Engineering Thermoplastics March/April 2014: Benzene firm, styrene rising and butadiene soft / Domestic feedstock notations firm but trending up / Most polymers roll over / ABS surges / Demand for PA 6.6 “made in China” rising

China Standard Thermoplastics March/April 2014: Ethylene and propylene import prices fall while styrene firms / Polymer import quotes soft / Domestic prices rising / Demand largely normal

North America March 2014: Polyethylene continues to move sideways / Polypropylene still losing steam / PVC proceeds to climb / PS takes a breather at a high altitude / Engineering thermoplastics notations remain depressed

Russia March 2014: Crimea crisis and Stavrolen outage in the Caucasus drive prices up / Surge continues

China Engineering Thermoplastics February/March 2014: Feedstock prices decline / Some grades firming / Factories gradually resume normal production after Chinese New Year holiday

China Standard Thermoplastics February/March 2014: Ethylene and styrene rise while propylene falls / Polymer import quotes dip / Domestic prices also soft / Little change expected in coming weeks

North America February 2014: Polyethylene surges / PP tumbles from its high / Tight market drives PVC notations / Engineering thermoplastics continue to tread water

Russia February 2014: Polyolefins weaker / PVC and PS rising / Serious outages for PE, PP and PVC / Ukraine conflict overshadows all future developments / Rouble continues to fall

China Engineering Thermoplastics January/February 2014: Feedstock and polymer prices soft or falling / Factories shuttered for holiday break / Slow start to the lunar new year / Consumption levels will continue to rise

China Standard Thermoplastics January/February 2014: Chinese New Year hiatus takes feedstock import quotes down / Declines across the entire polymer board / Adequate stock levels see prices continue soft even after the holidays

North America January 2014: Polyethylene notations roll over / PP continues its steep rise / PVC pointing up, too / PS takes a huge leap / High benzene prices pressure engineering thermoplastics

Russia January 2014: Ruble collapses / Polymer prices stagnate / Revival unlikely in February

China Engineering Thermoplastics December 2013/January 2014: Feedstock and polymer prices a mixed bag / Little movement in either direction / Market prepares for lunar new year holidays

North America December 2013: PE slithers sideways into the New Year / PP continues climbing / Monomer's firming sweeps PS higher / Engineering thermoplastics still quiet

China Standard Thermoplastics December 2013/January 2014: Ethylene import costs soar to 4-year high / Cost of imported standard thermoplastics down / Domestic producers slash prices in face of sluggish demand / Market slows down ahead of lunar new year

Russia December 2013: Polymer prices continue to fall / LDPE still tight / Stability anticipated for the beginning of 2014

China Engineering Thermoplastics November/December 2013: Feedstock prices a mixed bag / Resins stable to soft / Processors cautious about inventory levels / Production in full swing ahead of lunar new year

China Standard Thermoplastics November/December 2013: Feedstock import costs rise / PE prices continue to strengthen while PS loses steam / Domestic producers impose hikes / Preparing for Chinese New Year

North America November 2013: PE and PVC move sideways / PP prices drop again but end to declines in sight / PS downward trend over / PET still weak / No momentum on the engineering thermoplastics front

Russia November 2013: Polymer prices drop with winter temperatures / Stagnation likely in December

China Engineering Thermoplastics October/November 2013: Most feedstock prices fall / Almost all engineering thermoplastic prices remain unchanged / Business returns to normal levels after the holiday breaks

China Standard Thermoplastics October/November 2013: Ethylene and styrene import quotes recede while propylene advances / Import prices of PE rise while PS drops / Domestic manufacturers implement further price hikes

Russia October 2013: Few noteworthy developments / High season comes to an end / Favourable prices in November