Higher shipments to China were a key factor in the August rebound.

US reported exports of polyethylene, all grades combined, totaling 10.2 million tons through August 2026, down 2% from August 2025. Shipments to Mexico, China and Belgium accounted for over 30% of the US total each month in 2026.

US exports to China were 229,000 tons in August, up from 142,000 tons in July. Exports to Belgium and Mexico eased in August. (China also reported higher polyethylene imports from Middle East sources in August – ITP blog.)

From International Trader Publications’ World Trade Analyses, continuously updated analyses based on the latest statistics from all available countries.