North America
Is Europe’s PE market nearing a bottom?
In Europe, reductions of around €70/ton have passed on May PE deals amidst modest demand, comfortable supply and lower costs. Italian sellers have observed a slight uptick in buying interest compared to last month, as many buyers have returned to the market after limiting their purchases in April. In Northwest Europe, meanwhile, demand remained slack... 23-05-2025China’s PP markets struggle to hold gains amid mixed signals
China’s PP markets saw limited movement this week, with a fragile recovery losing steam amid softening futures and persistent oversupply. Last week's optimism, sparked by temporary tariff reductions and a brief round of restocking, began to wane as market participants faced the realities of stagnant demand and rising production capacity. While sentiment had initially improved due to policy easing and firmer prices, traders now report a lack of follow-through, with prices mostly flat or edging slightly lower both domestically and in export markets... 22-05-2025China PVC export prices edge up, but eyes on Taiwanese major’s delayed June offers to Asia
Import PVC K67 prices across Asia remain near five-year lows, but market sentiment showed tentative signs of improvement this week as Chinese export offers edged higher. Meanwhile, the major Taiwanese PVC producer has postponed its highly anticipated June price announcement to next week, leaving regional players uncertain about the upcoming direction... 21-05-2025American PE rides out the tariff storm
What began as a seemingly self-inflicted wound for the US polyethylene (PE) industry has evolved into a calculated demonstration of global resilience. As the world’s largest PE exporter—thanks in part to its abundant ethane feedstock—US producers found themselves in a precarious position when reciprocal tariff threats emerged from both China and the EU, two of its largest export markets... 20-05-2025