Standard Thermoplastics in December 2011: Notations still tending soft / No more bargains for polyolefin buyers / Supply almost balanced again / Demand remains robust / Rising costs to drive January notations

摘要

European buyers of standard thermoplastics went on a shopping spree in December 2011 and found moderate price bargains for all polymer products. Among the olefins, ethylene (C2) fell by EUR 15/t against November, while propylene (C3) dropped by EUR 18/t. The monthly styrene (SM) contract reference price, by contrast, showed a "technical" rise of EUR 6/t due to an unfavourable dollar-euro parity. For poly-ethylenes, converters managed to secure rebates twice the size of producers' cost reduction, and PP buyers won concessions of EUR 25/t, exceeding the cost reduction for C3.