Standard thermoplastics August 2020: Prices follow slight movements of feedstocks/Producers fail to achieve margin improvements due to weak demand/PVC reacts to multiple outages

摘要

PE: In August, producers were only able to push through the full ethylene cost increase of EUR 21/t for HD pipe grades and EVA, for which stock levels were generally very low. Suppliers were unable to increase margins due to the slack demand. A general lack of cheap imports burdened European buyers of blow moulding materials. Apart from that, increases reached just about half the additional costs, although in many cases a rollover was agreed. The pure ethylene cost base remained stable at the beginning of the month, so it is probable that August prices will be carried over. The lack of cheaper materials and the North American forces majeures following Hurricane Laura should at least help support prices.