The Weekly Catalyst
Global Chemical Update – Can I Depend On You?
Key Points:
- Global polymer prices increased last week, spurred by an upward movement in crude-oil-based feedstock costs – North American producers reflect benefits relative to European and Asia producers.
- The US spot polyethylene (PE) price is mostly unchanged YoY, with demand being a primary market in late 2022 and costs being the focus in late 2023, but market opaqueness being unusually elevated.
- We will attend the first day of PACK EXPO today to gauge buyer purchasing patterns, given the high contract price premiums in many polymer products and low global visibility in many product chains.