North America
Crude oil surges on renewed war premium; will it reverse the polymer slump?
The renewed geopolitical tensions have pushed Brent crude back into the mid-$80s/bbl, rapidly rebuilding some of the war-risk premium that had evaporated after June's ceasefire hopes. This has also helped buoy the sentiment recently in polymer markets, where prices have been on a downturn for the past couple of months. After months of sluggish demand, ample supplies, and relentless price erosion, sellers are seizing on higher feedstock costs to argue that the market has reached its bottom... 15-07-2026
EU publishes tariff regulation, swings doors wide open to duty-free US plastics
The European Union has published Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 in the Official Journal, completing the final legal step needed to implement the EU-US tariff agreement. Under Article 8 of the regulation, it enters into force on the day following its publication and applies from July 1 2026 until December 31 2029... 01-07-2026
PVC loses much of its war premium as oversupply and weaker costs weigh on Türkiye
Türkiye's PVC market remained firmly under pressure this week as declining feedstock costs, easing geopolitical tensions, and persistent oversupply combined to push prices lower. The recent drop in crude oil below $80/bbl, alongside falling spot naphtha and ethylene markets, has removed much of the cost support that buoyed PVC during the Middle East conflict... 18-06-2026