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Polypropylene (PP) prices in Europe quoted stable last week, as demand remained sluggish, according to Polymerupdate. Homopolymer injection-grade contract prices were assessed at €800/tonne FD Northwest Europe, with copolymer prices assessed at €840/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In the spot market, homopolymer injection molding prices were at €700/tonne FD Northwest Europe while PP copolymer prices were assessed at €750/tonne FD Northwest Europe.

MPW Staff

April 8, 2009

2 Min Read
Polymerupdate European resin pricing, March 30-April 3: PE and PP fall, ABS rises

Polypropylene (PP) prices in Europe quoted stable last week, as demand remained sluggish, according to Polymerupdate. Homopolymer injection-grade contract prices were assessed at €800/tonne FD Northwest Europe, with copolymer prices assessed at €840/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In the spot market, homopolymer injection molding prices were at €700/tonne FD Northwest Europe while PP copolymer prices were assessed at €750/tonne FD Northwest Europe. A European PP seller contacted by Polymerupdate said active buying interest from China is now compensating for low purchasing activity in Europe.

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) contract and spot prices in Europe last week remained flat with general-purpose contract prices assessed at €900/tonne FD Northwest Europe. Spot LDPE prices were assessed at €790 to €800/tonne FD Northwest Europe. Here, too, buying interest remained thin, but producers are seeking hikes for April.

Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) contract and spot prices finished last week unchanged from the week before, with contract prices at €900/tonne FD Northwest Europe mark, and butane-grade spot LLDPE prices at €770/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In plant news, Polimeri Europe shut down a 140,000-tonnes/yr LLDPE plant at Dunkirk due to some technical problems, with the outage likely to last until April 10. Ineos has also suffered some technical problem at its Cologne (200,000-tonnes/yr) and Grangemouth (925,000-tonnes/yr) sites.

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) prices in Europe are under pressure to hold steady after April ethylene contract prices settled at a rollover from March. Polymerupdate reports that a handful of European PVC producers have announced April contract price hikes ranging from €20 to €50/tonne. PVC suspension-grade prices last week in Europe were unchanged from the week before at €715/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In the spot market, FD Northwest Europe prices of PVC were also assessed flat at €530 to €560/tonne. Buyer bids were heard as low as €500/tonne for spot PVC cargos.

Polystyrene (PS) prices in Europe firmed last week, with general-purpose contracts hitting €915/tonne FD Northwest Europe, and high-impact contract prices assessed at €960/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In the spot market, general-purpose prices were assessed at €740/tonne FD Northwest Europe, while high-impact prices were assessed at €785/tonne FD Northwest Europe. For the month of April, prominent PS producers like BASF were heard targeting hikes of €100/tonne in PS contracts.

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) prices were higher in Europe’s spot markets last week. Prices also gained in contract markets, with general purpose and natural grades hitting €1175 to €1185/tonne FD Northwest Europe. In the spot market, ABS prices rose to €1165 to €1175/tonne FD Northwest Europe, a gain of more €100/tonne from the week prior. The gains were fueled by strength in acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene monomer feedstock costs. Rising ABS prices in Asia further supported strength in Europe’s ABS markets. [email protected]

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