US ABS demand remained strong this week despite talk of a pending economic slow down. “I keep hearing about an economic collapse coming, but you wouldn’t know it from chemical demand,” a source said. ABS producers continued to anticipate a drop in demand toward the end of the year — perhaps during the second half of the fourth quarter. But sales remained brisk, and demand strong. The price this week fell slightly even with the stronger demand, as feedstock prices softened. Acrylonitrile prices have fallen sharply in recent weeks, and there was bearish sentiment from producers during the past few days. “The attitude out there is that the [ACN] market is looking a bit soft,” an ACN buyer said. Butadiene prices have been able to stay near 100 cents/lb, with a production issue at TPC’s Houston facility further tightening the market. Styrene prices have come off of recent highs during the past two weeks, but there was general bullishness in the styrene market. A styrene source said expectations that benzene could climb was sending buyers into the styrene spot market.
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