Resin To Riches: Weekly Plastic Market Insights

Polymer Global Analysis

Resin To Riches: Weekly Plastic Market Insights

• General Thoughts: Weak US building products demand can put more PVC up for export even as producers make less, and Westlake’s plant changes show how a lower-cost network could improve profits without higher volumes.
• Polyethylene (PE): Asian LLDPE spot prices rose more than US prices last week, but the gap will help US producers raise November prices only if enough export orders pay better after freight than domestic sales and tighten domestic supply.
• Polypropylene (PP): US spot PP rose faster than PGP last week, but November fee settlements will show what buyers actually paid, while Asia’s negative quoted spread limits the incentive to raise output at plants buying spot monomer.
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): European PVC outages test whether local supply can compete with available imports after duties, and proposed Indian duties risk sending more covered Chinese cargoes to Southeast Asia.
• Other Sector Developments: US ethylene can fill overseas supply gaps, but lower Morgan’s Point volumes show why export projects need buyers that will commit even when local crackers have enough feedstock to run.

Exhibit 1 – Chart of the Day: Otter Tail’s PVC Pipe Prices Fell Even as Material Input Costs Rose YoY

Source: Otter Tail – 3Q26 Earnings Presentation