Polyethylene August 2014: Most producers pass on ethylene cost reduction / Impact of upstream decline diverted / Substantial price cuts likely in September

Polypropylene August 2014: Most producers forced to pass on cost relief / Summer holidays dampen demand / C3 decline propels downturn / Run on material could lead to early order stops in September

PVC August 2014: Producers fail to improve their margins / Most notations fall slightly / Slack construction sector dampens demand / Decline in ethylene pulls prices down

PET August 2014: Downward trend sets in / Cool August weather dampens demand / New volumes hit the market / Cost picture still murky / Downward momentum will gather speed

Styrenics August 2014: Minor concessions for standard grades / ABS sees some upward momentum / Slack building demand pressures / Sinking SM notations set the pace for September

Standard Thermoplastics Trend August 2014: Polyolefin producers resist calls to pass on full cost reduction / Prices nevertheless still under pressure / Downward tendency will prevail during the rest of the month

Polyethylene July 2014: Almost entire rise in ethylene costs passed on / Hopes of additional margin improvement seldom realised / VAM supply improves / Prices expected to soften in August

Polypropylene July 2014: Pricing includes only slight margin component / Compounds stable / Bottleneck moves from feedstock to polymer / FMs restrict PP supply / C3 pass-through unlikely

PVC July 2014: Producers fail to realise their margin goals / Hikes limited to proportionate ethylene cost rise / Pressure on margins remains / Hardly any supply bottlenecks / Prices likely to crumble as C2 takes a dive and amid summer holiday season

Styrenics July 2014: Expensive SM drives prices higher on a broad front / Only PS producers able to pass on most of their cost rise / Converters buy the bare minimum / Signs of stability in August

PET July 2014: Small volume lots slapped with increases / Large orders mostly stable / Supply situation increasingly murky / New plants yet to have an impact on the market / Costs continue to drive

Standard Thermoplastics Trend July 2014: Producers successfully pass on rises for PS, PVC and most polyolefins / Hikes for LDPE, PP up slightly / EPS remains under SM cost rise / LDPE could climb further

Polyethylene June 2014: Most increases slightly higher than the cost increase / Producers' efforts to pass on higher costs meet with mixed success / Rising ethylene notation and tighter market set stage for substantial hikes in July

Polypropylene June 2014: Hikes for regular orders slightly exceed cost rise / Top-up requests cost more / C3 tightness eases slightly / FMs in France and Poland limit availability / July will see additional upward momentum

PVC June 2014: Increases remain marginal / Most producers only manage to pass on the proportionate ethylene rise / Margins still under pressure / Rising ethylene will drive prices in July