PS Prices and News
China emerges as shock absorber after polymer rally pushes SE Asian markets to multi-year highs by Merve Sezgün
The outbreak of the Middle East war triggered a powerful rally across Southeast Asia’s polymer markets, with prices surging by 40-60% in a matter of weeks and reaching multi-year highs. However, unlike a purely supply-driven spike, the uptrend has increasingly run into structural limits, as widening price gaps with China curbed further upside and, in some cases, triggered corrections... 22-04-2026
Polymer rally at pandemic-era highs in just 6 weeks; what happens next? by Esra Ersöz
Global polymer markets have surged to their highest levels since the pandemic across most regions and products, with several grades particularly in the PE group already exceeding those peaks, according to ChemOrbis Price Index. Yet what makes the current rally remarkable is not just the level reached — but the speed at which it has unfolded... 16-04-2026
Cost of Middle East war for Türkiye: Polymer markets surge to 2021–2022 highs, PE exceeds pandemic-peaks by Merve Madakbaşı and Esra Ersöz
The outbreak of the Middle East war in late February has triggered a relentless bullish rally across Türkiye’s polymer markets, sending prices for PP, PE, PVC, PS, ABS, and PET sharply higher. What initially began as a cost-driven uptick quickly evolved into a supply-led surge, as disruptions to key Middle Eastern production hubs, logistical bottlenecks, and soaring freight and insurance costs tightened availability across the board... 14-04-2026
Middle East war cost for Europe: Polymer prices surge back toward pandemic-era highs by Manolya Tufan and Esra Ersöz
The outbreak of the Middle East war at the end of February triggered a sharp upswing across Europe’s polymer markets, with prices rising at varying magnitudes depending on product fundamentals. Polyolefins led the rally by a wide margin, while other polymer chains also moved higher, albeit at a more moderate pace, largely driven by cost inflation rather than imminent supply shortages... 08-04-2026
ChemOrbis and TTCP seminar on the Middle East War’s Impact on the Petrochemical Chain draws strong interest by ChemOrbis Editorial Team
At the webinar titled “How is the Middle East War Shaking Global Petrochemical Markets? What Lies Ahead for Türkiye?”, held on April 2, ChemOrbis Türkiye Market Intelligence Manager Merve Madakbaşı and Dr. Mevlüt Çetinkaya, founder of TTCP Training and Consulting Industry and Trade Ltd., comprehensively discussed the disruptions caused by the war across the energy and petrochemical value chain... 03-04-2026
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)

