Europe Resin Pricing: Polymer Industry

25 Nov 2010 • by Natalie Aster

Polypropylene (PP) contract prices were lower in Europe last week, according to Polymerupdate, with homopolymer injection-grade contracts at Euro 1040/tonne FD Northwest Europe and copolymer at Euro 1080 to Euro 1090/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In the spot market, PP homopolymer settled at Euro 810 to Euro 820/tonne FD Northwest Europe, while PP copolymer was assessed at Euro 850 to Euro 860/tonne FD Northwest Europe.

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) general-purpose contract prices were unchanged at Euro 1030 to Euro 1040/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In the spot market, however, LDPE prices edged higher reaching Euro 920/tonne FD Northwest Europe. This was caused by constraints in prompt availability, with supply of large-volume cargoes limited. For its part, Dow Europe announced a Euro 30/tonne hike in its December prices in a bid to make up for lost margins.

Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) contract prices were unchanged from the week before at Euro 1020 to Euro 1030/tonne FD Northwest Europe. Prices in the spot market rose, however, as prompt availability tightened and prices reached Euro 920/tonne FD Northwest Europe. Here too, Dow Europe announced a Euro 30/tonne hike in its December prices.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) suspension-grade contract prices moved lower to Euro 960 to Euro 980/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In the spot market, PVC was at Euro 720 to Euro 750/tonne FD Northwest Europe. Buyers polled across different parts of Europe confirmed settling their contracts at prices below those of last month. In Turkey, local petrochemical producer Petkim reportedly hiked its PVC prices by $10/tonne to $1105/tonne CFR.

Polystyrene (PS) was down, with general-purpose (GPPS) contract prices at Euro 1140 to Euro 1150/tonne FD Northwest Europe. High-impact (HIPS) contract prices were assessed at Euro 1210/tonne FD Northwest Europe, unchanged from a week earlier. An individual working for a European PS producer said his company had already completed its sales targets for November and was surprised by initial interest for December, which is normally a quiet month. The shutdown of Total’s plant in Gonfreville, France, also impacted the market.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) contract prices tumbled due to downward pressure from competitively priced Asian cargoes that started arriving in Europe. General-purpose and natural-grade ABS contracts were assessed at Euro 1295 to Euro 1305/tonne FD Northwest Europe, down Euro 100/tonne from a weak earlier. In the spot market, general-purpose and natural-grade ABS were assessed at Euro 1090/tonne FD Northwest Europe.

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) spot prices for bottle grades continued to leap higher last week, triggered by bullish upstream product and firming spot prices of Asian PET. FD Northwest Europe spot prices of bottle-grade PET rose to Euro 880 to Euro 920/tonne. These were supported fewer arrivals of imported PET cargoes. In the contract markets, bottle-grade PET prices were assessed at Euro 1125 to Euro 1145/tonne FD Northwest Europe. Producers pressed for hikes of more than Euro 50/tonne, citing a November paraxylene contract settlement at Euro 680/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In production news, France’s Tergal shut down its 50,000 tonnes/yr PET plant located at Gauchy, France. This plant closure and an extended shutdown at Spanish PET producer La Seda’s 100,000-tonnes/yr facility were expected to tighten availability.

Source: PlasticsToday Staff

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