Engineering thermoplastics in October 2011: Situation at last begins to ease / ABS, PC and PA take a nosedive as costs of benzene and butadiene plummet / Trend till year-end widely seen as 'down, but under control'

摘要

European engineering thermoplastics prices at last began their long-awaited descent in October on the back of a marked relaxation in benzene and butadiene notations. ABS fell by up to EUR 100/t, while PC and the polyamides receded by around EUR 50/t. By contrast, PBT, POM and PMMA - which tend to be tied to long-term agreements - remained relatively stable, although even here prices started to crumble in the lower regions of the freely negotiated range. PP compounds escaped relatively unharmed amid the protection of indexed contracts, as C3 fell by only EUR 10/t in October. Overall, availability has improved quite considerably thanks to a number of factors, including weaker demand, increased imports (mainly from Asia), and the fact that many plants have resumed normal production. Demand has dropped noticeably, and all eyes are now fixed on ensuring that not too much capital is tied up in stocks when the accountants draw up the balance sheets at the end of the year.