Ukentlig harpiks rapport: Plast priser Under press; Videre erosjon forventet

Nov 22, 2016

Spotresintradingimprovedlastweek, althoughthemarketisstillverynervous. Theflowofmaterialwasheavy

igjen, andwhilecompletedvolumesrosesubstantially (fromdismallevels), offershavestillbeenaccumulating,

writesthePlasticsExchange(Chicago)initsMarketUpdate.Most,ifnotall,commoditygradepolyethylene(PE)

andpolypropylene (PP) resinsarereadilyavailable, andaverywiderangeofpricesarequoted. Oppstrøms

energyandfeedstockpricesrecoveredsomewhat, butplasticsremainedunderpressure. Marketparticipants

anticipatefurthererosionahead, asoffersforshipmentstwoweeksoutarecheaperthanmaterialforimmediate

forsendelsen. Incrementalexportsalesremainseasonallychallenged,compoundedbythestrongU.S.dollarand

negativeregionalmarketsentiment.

SpotPEtradingwassignificantlymoreactive, asasteadystreamofofferscontinuedtopeltthemarketand

pricesslidfurther. Mostgenericprimegradesdroppedanotherpennywithvariousone-offdealsdoneatsteeperrabatter.Resinhasbecomeplentiful, evenpreviouslyscarcegradeslikeLDPEfilmandLLDPEhaveemerged,

shrinkingtheirpremiums. Houstontradershavedroppedtheirbids, lookingtoliquidateunsoldlotsratherthan

takingonnewpositions, og, asalways, seekingback-til-backtransactions, reportsthePlasticsExchange.

Amidfallingspotlevels, someprocessorsseemfrustratedbythelackofclaritywithNovemberPEcontractsand

haveminimizedvolumecommitments. SeveralproducershaveloweredNovemberPEby$ 0,03 per pund, butothers

haveyettoannouncethemagnitudeoftheirdecrease. Whilethepricereliefiswelcomedbybuyers, $0,03 per pund

slippisnotnecessarilydeemedalargeenoughbreak, andsomeareeying$ 0,05/lbtocompletelywipeawaythe

Septemberincrease.PerhapsitwilltakethroughDecembertoachievethenickelormaybeshaveevenmore.

PPtradingpickedupabitanddealswereflyingifthevolumeswerelarge.Genericprimelevelsgenerallyslid

anothercent, withlargerdiscountsneededtomoveoffgrade. Resellershavemaintainedtheirefforttoliquidate

uncommittedmaterial, acceptingreasonablebidsevenifitgeneratedaloss. NovemberPGPcontractssettled

earlierinthemonthdown$ 0,06/lb; thePlasticsExchangeexpectsanotherrangeofPPcontractpricemovement

basedonparticularindexmarkers, spotlevelsandmonomercomponents. SomePPbuyersappearedwillingto

payseveralcentsextraforlast-minutetruckloadshipmentsratherthanbuyingacheaperrailcar.Aspricesoverlappetlaveretheyfearbetterdealswillemergebeforethebulkresinevenarrives. Thatsaid,othershavefound

deeplydiscountedspotofferscompellingandworthyofmulti-carorders. Pricelevelsaregenerallyseenfromthe

midten av$ 0 .40tomid$ 0 .50rangebasedonqualityandquantity; someisolatedroughermaterialhasbeenpriced

startingwitha3, homopolymerhasbeennoticeablyweakerthancopolymer.