Market players expect only a modest increase in demand. Due to the long weekends at the beginning of the month, the major Plastpol exhibition, and another long weekend awaiting Poland at the end of the month, there are only two working weeks left, this one and the next. ‘The construction industry, which should be one of the most active right now, isn't. The ongoing rises in the cost of electricity and gas will result in people spending even less money on repairs or purchasing new home appliances,’ a polyolefin converter in Poland has said Chem-Courier.
One of the largest logistics firms reported another conflict escalation in the Red Sea and warned its clients of possible delivery delays. This means that the delivery price may be further increased. However, there is no anticipated imported materials shortage in the near future due to low demand and the availability of material in traders' warehouses.
PE
- Market players note a downturn in the market. ‘Converters themselves have no orders and are refraining from purchasing materials, even considering another price decrease,’ one player has said.
- There is enough material to meet customer needs.
- The average HDPE price has decreased by €30/t compared to the end-April.
- European manufacturers have reduced the LDPE price by €20—30/t compared to the beginning of April.
- Due to the decrease in the LDPE price throughout the month, the average market quote has declined by €15/t compared to the end-month.
PP Homopolymer
- PP demand has remained at a moderate level, according to market players.
- Producers have upheld PP prices, keeping them at the level of early April. Consequently, the current average market PP quote has increased compared to the end-April.
- ‘Throughout April, producers and traders were consistently lowering prices almost weekly, but now they are offering the product at €10 - 20/t higher than in the last week of the previous month,’ one of the players has said.
- The propylene shortage, which players were talking about last month, may be the reason for this situation.
PP Copolymer
- PP block copolymer demand has remained at a moderate level, according to participants.
- The PP block copolymer price has increased by €55/t compared to the previous week. This was due to the rollover announced by PP producers. However, it should be noted that the price hold referred to the beginning of April, not the end when quotes were once again lowered by both traders and producers.
- The quote of PP random copolymer has also increased by €10/t compared to the previous week.
