Polymer Prices China Standard Thermoplastics

China Standard Thermoplastics December 2014: Feedstock import quotes plunge / C2, C3, SM at new lows / Polymer decline continues / Domestic players attempt to raise prices / Processors mull inventory build-up ahead of lunar new year

China Standard Thermoplastics November 2014: Feedstock import quotes continue in free fall / C2, C3, SM at lows not seen in years / Polymer producers worried about unabated price declines / Processors in holding pattern and keeping inventories low

China Standard Thermoplastics October 2014: All feedstock import quotes down / Styrene, propylene hit new lows / Polymers follow feedstock trend / Demand in line with the season

China Standard Thermoplastics September 2014: Ethylene import quotes firm, while styrene and propylene trend soft / Polymer prices mostly down / National PE and PP inventories continue to increase / Notations could rise slightly in October

China Standard Thermoplastics August 2014: Feedstock import quotes take a diver / Polymer prices waver amid meagre demand / Most notations expected to rise slightly

China Standard Thermoplastics July 2014: Feedstock import quotes continue to climb / Polymer prices pointing down ahead of traditionally weak August / PP bucks the trend / Summer heat drives gains for PET

China Standard Thermoplastics June 2014: Feedstock import quotes rise / Domestic PE and PP prices up / PS points down / National PE and PP inventories continue to decline

China Standard Thermoplastics April/May 2014: Ethylene and propylene import prices rebound while styrene recedes / Polymer import quotes firm / Domestic prices see active dynamics / Labour Day holiday period dampens total uptake

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

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

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

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

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

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

China Standard Thermoplastics September/October 2013: Ethylene import pricing surges while styrene and propylene remain soft / Import quotes see firm to modest increases / Domestic manufacturers raise prices after the National Day Holidays

China Standard Thermoplastics August/September 2013: Mixed pricing for feedstock imports / Standard thermoplastic imports see firm to modest price increases / Domestic manufacturers raise prices

China Standard Thermoplastics July/August 2013: Ethylene and propylene feedstock import prices recede / Styrene monomer import quotes surge to new high / Import prices of standard thermoplastics rise / Domestic manufacturers hike prices

China Standard Thermoplastics June/July 2013: Feedstock prices rise considerably / Domestic market entering slow season / Pricing steady to trending soft / LDPE outperforms other grades

China Standard Thermoplastics May/June 2013: Feedstock pricing strengthens / Commodity business picks up / Prices lift on renewed optimism

China Standard Thermoplastics April/May 2013: Mixed bag of perspectives / Ethylene pricing continues depressed / Largely stable pricing / Some slight upward movements / Downstream processing capacity utilisation 70%

China Standard Thermoplastics March/April 2013: Market mostly stable / Feedstock prices soft / Local manufacturers cut polymer notations to move volumes / No signs of an imminent revival

China Standard Thermoplastics February/March 2013: Production slowly returns to normal following New Year holidays / Feedstock and polymer notations weak / Widely expected post-holiday run fails to materialise / Highly dependent on styrene imports

China Standard Thermoplastics January/February 2013: Sector at standstill as country celebrates lunar new year / C2 and C3 notations rising / Calls for higher prices once holiday period ends / Consumption expected to rebound in Year of the Snake

China December 2012 / January 2013: Twin hikes for feedstocks and thermoplastics / PS notations set new record / Last push before two-week Chinese New Year hiatus / Petrochemical sector's pre-tax profit down 8% year-on-year over first 10 months of 2011

China March/April 2012: Slowdown in demand dampens increases for PE / PP, PVC and PS largely stable or tending downwards / Automotive sales slide / Fewer resin imports / Cautious outlook