Base Petrochemicals, Aromatics and Feedstocks: February / March 2019

Polyethylene February 2019: Complete lack of stimulus / Rollover dominates the picture / Price increases probable in March

Polypropylene February 2019: Producers' hikes falter / Slack demand leads to weak rollover / Increases hardly avoidable in March

PVC February 2019: Most contracts settled at rollovers / Production curtailments not causing any major upheavals / Call-offs normal despite the low season / Increases predicted for March

Styrenics February 2019: Prices bottom out / Slight increases for polystyrene / Processors stock up inventories / Players expect bull market to begin in March

PET February 2019: Weak rollover predominates / Demand still very subdued / Notations expected to pick up in March as PX firms

Engineering Thermoplastics February 2019: Depression in car industry hits hard / Prices fall in many places / Only quarterly agreements continue to stabilise / Automotive expected to remain weak / Further price erosion likely in March

VAM plant to be built at Hull / Over EUR 1.1 bn spending package for UK

PA 6.6 expansion in Shanghai sees start of construction delayed / ADN capacity increased

PVC producer to receive EUR 50m loan from EU / Aim to safeguard supply of raw materials and develop new products

EBIT hit by effects of low water on the river Rhine / Sales rise only marginally over 2018 as a whole

EUR 3 bn sale of methacrylates business with "Plexiglas" to Advent International / Plastics division records modest earnings growth in 2018

European production declines / Capacity falls following ban on mercury process

New line for C3 production to go onstream in April

Agreements for two refinery JVs in China with downstream plastics

Over 97% of single-use beverage bottles are recycled / EU's planned target rates exceeded / Few waste PET bottles were sent to China before import ban / Study by GVM and IK

Spanish films manufacturer closes down main factory

Takeover of German thermoformer Neluplast

Lindner shredders installed at Dutch plastics recovery site / Agricultural film converted into PE recyclate

German films maker expands US production in Kentucky

New production line for OPP film in US / Start-up slated for 2020

Government implements fee for plastic carrier bags / Pagev calls for amendments in line with EU legislation / Economic repercussions for plastics sector

Numerous illegal plastics recycling plants surface / Shutdowns and fines / Environment minister Bee Yin Yeo leads plastics waste initiatives

Government spells out plans for reforming waste system / Consultation outlines proposal for plastic packaging tax / BPF gives cautious welcome

Plastic carrier bags banned as of 2020 / ARA calls for a "Plastics Roadmap 2030" / "Plastics Summit" in Vienna

European sector lifted by growing polymer demand and prices / Ongoing market consolidation / New investments in Eastern European sites / AMI report