Styrenics May 2017: Price correction continues / Again high discounts on all materials / Strong demand / Premiums on PS and EPS likely in June / ABS still has more potential for trending down

Polypropylene May 2017: The picture is one of reductions / Greater falls for high-flying copolymers / Supplies increasingly returning to normal / Compounds also weakening / Noticeable falls imminent in June

Polyethylene May 2017: The ethylene motto “rollover” does not hold true / Notations trending down / Film grades generally affected more / Further decreases expected for June / Possible trend reversal in the course of the month

PET May 2017: Notations falling once more / Increasing stabilisation in the course of the month / Good weather driving demand up / Firmer trend likely in June

PVC May 2017: Base material notations remain stable / Titanium dioxide continues to force up compounds / Dramatic development in plasticisers now too / Ready-to-use materials still rising

Base Petrochemicals, Aromatics and Feedstocks: May / June 2017

Engineering Thermoplastics May 2017: Rollover predominates / Tight supply situation still exists with PC, POM and PMMA / Potential upward trend even before start of Q3 / Demand expected to slow down a little

Threatening situation / Insufficient MDI delivery volumes / Processors switching off production lines / Customers reacting angrily and helplessly to asked prices / “Isocyanate producers no longer acting with common decency”

MDI: Covestro cancels pan-European force majeure / Supply shortage will continue / Maintenance at Brunsbüttel

Mega-merger in speciality chemicals / IPO for Huntsman's Pigments and Additives beforehand

Formulated polyol production at Zhangjiagang expanded / Annual capacity of 120,000 t

Reconstruction of Carling site completed / Production of PS, specialities and resins

TDI line in Ludwigshafen producing “on spec” isocyanate / Capacity is reduced

Fourth PE unit starts up in Saudi Arabia / Commercialisation of entire plastics franchise begins

Compounding capacity expansion in Germany finished

Recycled PA 6 and PA 6.6 compounds capacity to increase

Automotive PP compounding plant to be built in the USA

Compounding in Italy to be shuttered

Extension of long carbon fibre compounds production / LCF-LGF hybrids also possible

Newly named ETP division to supply speciality engineering thermoplastics to global market / Polyamide business expansion

Further expansion of PC capacities in China

PIE talks to Stanley Chu, chairman of "Chinaplas" organiser Adsale / Chinese automotive and medical devices markets saw huge growth in 2016 / The "One Belt, One Road" initiative and the plastics industry / Expansion of the 2018 trade fair in Shanghai

Record visitor numbers in Guangzhou / Just over 25% from abroad / Professional atmosphere prevailed

GCC polymer capacity to reach 34.5m t in 2022 / New capacity located mainly in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait / GPCA report

Sales flat in 2016 / Output rises slightly / Regrind market has potential