The average price on US exports of PVC has doubled between June 2020 and January 2021 and further increases are expected in the wake of weather-related outages in February.
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US Polyethylene Exports Rebounded in December and January, but the Upward Trend ends in February
US exports of polyethylene slumped from August through October 2020 in the aftermath of several hurricanes, then climbed back to record territory in December. Exports to China in January were up more than double from the prior January.
Continue readingRussia’s PE and PP Exports Soar in 2020; LPG Exports Drop
SIBUR’s addition of new polyolefins capacity in western Siberia was reflected in Russia’s export figures for 2020 which set new record highs for HDPE, LLDPE and PP. As a result, Russia exported substantially lower volumes of liquefied propane gas, which is used as a feedstock in the new plant.
Continue readingMEG Exports From Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and UAE as of October, 2020 are Down from Last Year; Iran Shipped Higher Volumes
Competing shipments from North America impacted MEG exporters in the Middle East.
Continue readingRecent Trends in Styrene Exports from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
Both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia exported more styrene through October, 2020, versus the same period last year, but Kuwait’s shipments to China increased while Saudi exports to that destination showed a decline.
Continue readingChina Ships Record Volumes of Fabricated Plastic Products Yearend 2020, on Pandemic-Related Demand
China manufactures countless plastic products. Trade in some of these products can be identified by specific polymers while other products are made from a number of polymers and fall into groups defined by end uses. Exports of these products combined totaled 13.9 million tons in 2020, up 10% from 2019. The pandemic created strong demand for PPP related products, packaging, household items and builders’ materials.
Continue readingKorea’s Polyethylene Exports Down in November and December, on Lower Demand from China
Korea exported record volumes of polyethylene for most of 2020, but shipments dropped toward yearend on much lower volumes to China.
Continue readingNew High on LNG Exports from the United States in November, 2020, China a Factor
US exports slowed during the second quarter of 2020, hovered at a low around 2 million tons per month from June through August, then climbed sharply, to over 6 million tons in November.
Continue readingContrasts Between Iran and United Arab Emirates Exports of Polyethylene
Iran and UAE do not publish timely trade statistics, but, their exports are visible in large part from trading partner import statistics. For Iran, these show a drop in polyethylene exports through August 2020 and dependence on a limited number of markets; for UAE, these show export growth and a broader range of markets.
Continue readingRecord Imports into China of LLDPE and HDPE, and, Changes in Suppliers
As it did in 2009 during the financial crisis, China buttressed the global petrochemical industry with record imports of LLDPE and HDPE during the 2020 pandemic. Volume was heavy from May through October 2020. Much higher imports from North America (US), Eastern Europe (Russia) and other Asia-Pacific, and a drop in imports of LLDPE from the Middle East, were prominent supply changes.
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