PS Prices and News
War-hit logistics barely dent Türkiye’s H1 polymer imports by Merve Madakbaşı
As global polymer markets approached the end of the second quarter of 2026, they faced a severe logistics crisis triggered by the US-Iran war in the Middle East, alongside soaring container freight rates and sharp increases in feedstock costs. Amid heightened uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, delayed shipments, plant shutdowns in areas targeted by attacks, and abrupt price swings dominated the second-quarter market landscape... 13-08-2026
Stats: China’s PS imports sink to record lows as exports hit all-time highs in H1 2026 by Thi Huong Nguyen
According to ChemOrbis Stats Wizard, China’s PS (including EPS, GPPS, and HIPS) trade pattern continued to undergo a structural shift in the first half of 2026, with imports falling to fresh record lows while exports surged to new all-time highs. The contrasting trends underscore the country’s growing self-sufficiency and rising prominence in the global PS market, driven by continued capacity expansions. As a result, China further consolidated its position as a net exporter, with outbound shipments sharply exceeding inbound cargoes... 04-08-2026
Oil slump leaves China, SE Asia polymer markets without direction as buyers step back by Merve Sezgün
Polymer markets across China and Southeast Asia have entered a period of uncertainty after crude oil erased much of last week's war-driven rally. While Brent tumbled from around $100/bbl to below $90/bbl in just two trading sessions, both polymers and their upstream olefins have lost directional momentum. Players increasingly describe the current environment as having "no clear direction," preferring to wait and see whether the latest correction in crude proves temporary or develops into a broader downtrend... 29-07-2026
Duty-free US plastics: Beyond polymers, a new challenge for Europe's and Türkiye's downstream industries by Manolya Tufan
The EU-US tariff agreement has largely been viewed through the lens of polymers, particularly PE, and as a boost for US polymer exports. Yet the implications reach well beyond resin markets. By eliminating customs duties across the entire Chapter 39, the regulation also covers a broad range of semi-finished and finished plastic products, potentially reshaping competition across Europe's downstream plastics value chain... 08-07-2026
EU publishes tariff regulation, swings doors wide open to duty-free US plastics by Manolya Tufan and Esra Ersöz
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
Polystyrene (PS) is formed by the polymerization of styrene feedstock. As styrene is formed by adding ethylene into the benzene feedstock, benzene and ethylene prices are also taken into consideration, in addition to styrene while examining the production costs of PS.
There are two types of PS, namely GPPS and HIPS. These are divided into subgroups as injection and extrusion. While plastic hangers, protective foam, disposable cutlery, CD boxes are made of GPPS, HIPS is used in white goods and electronics.
The world's largest PS buyer is again China by a long way. As of 2020, China alone carries out 35% of global imports. It was followed by Malaysia and Germany, with 6% and 5% shares, respectively. Taiwan ranks first among the top PS importers list, followed by Belgium and France.
ChemOrbis Polystyrene (PS) prices and Plastics News section contain information on the market trends, as well as supply-demand factors and production costs that determine the pricing, statistics on imports and exports, along with maintenance shutdowns, restarts, and new capacities related to PS facilities.
Products:
GPPS injection, GPPS extrusion, HIPS injection, HIPS extrusion, EPS black/grey (inflammable), EPS white (inflammable), EPS white (regular)
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