POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in February 2013: Distribution market sheds more feathers / Supply restrictions meet with weak demand / Direct business starts to pick up / All signs point to hikes in March

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in January 2013: New year begins on a subdued note / Despite expensive benzene, ABS and PC barely move / PA, POM and PMMA prices down / Little risk of hikes, except for PP

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in December 2012: Rollover dominates / Occasional signs of weakness / Supply suffices to meet sluggish demand / Rising benzene notations increasingly make themselves felt / Fresh calls for price hikes for ABS and PC

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in November 2012: Subdued demand depresses notations / Adequate supply despite production cutbacks / Rising imports of standard grades / Little change expected for December

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in October 2012: All markets calm / Costs and prices stay put at high level / Depressed demand / Moderate price pressure until year-end

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in September 2012: ABS and PP pay tribute to remaining cost increases / Most other materials roll over / Polyamides start to crumble / Market hit by automotive downturn

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering thermoplastics in August 2012: Commodity ABS and PP compounds react to higher feedstock prices / Higher-grade materials mostly roll over / Costs continue to rise / Hopes that new VW Golf 7 will stimulate demand

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in July 2012: ABS, PA and PP feel the effect of June's feedstock slide / PC, PBT and POM stable / PMMA up slightly / Back pressure generated by reversal of feedstock notations / August still stable

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in June 2012: ABS and PP compounds hit by downturn in the standard sector / Butadiene nosedive hits PA 6.6 / Benzene goes against the flow, driving PC up / Other types stable / Surplus tendency / Prices under pressure in July

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in May 2012: Rising benzene pushes PA 6, PBT, POM and PMMA higher / Most other types stable / Ordering still very sluggish / Aromatic derivatives could well move up again in June

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in April 2012: PC, PA 6 and PBT hit by Q2 price hikes / POM and PMMA in rollover / PP compounds rise slightly / Business surprisingly slack / Surplus tendencies

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in March 2012: More grades succumb to upward price trend / Output remains tight / Demand starts to soften / April price hikes could fall short of producers' expectations

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in February 2012: Situation relatively calm / Long-term agreements ease pressure / ABS and PP compound prices on the rise / PA and PBT surging / Rate of price increases likely to quicken

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in January 2012: Rollover predominates / Initial increases for ABS, PA 6 and PP / Restocking / Automotive and E&E sectors take off / Feedstocks rise by triple digits

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in December 2011: Picture dominated by moderate falls / Production cutbacks coincide with subdued end-of-year demand / Costs likely to rise in January / Benzene takes a great leap

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in November 2011: Prices down but rate of decline slows / Only POM suffers triple-digit decrease / More moderate reductions for ABS, PC, PA and PMMA / PBT remains firm / Lacklustre demand / Stability likely at year-end

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in October 2011: Situation at last begins to ease / ABS, PC and PA take a dive as costs of benzene and butadiene plummet / Trend till year-end is "down, but under control"

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering thermoplastics in September 2011: Initial weaknesses appear / ABS, PC, PA and PP compounds begin to crumble / So far the overall picture still remains one of stability / Benzene and butadiene at last decline

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering thermoplastics in August 2011: ABS and PBT rise despite holiday lull / Monomer reduction prompts fall in PP compounds / Bottlenecks ease as demand declines / Automotive still lively / Risks of price increases remain

POLYMER PRICES

Engineering Thermoplastics in July 2011: Prices stable at a high level / ABS, PC and PP respond to the lower cost basis / Supply adequate / Holiday period dampens demand / Stability likely