United States Exports of PE Trended Higher in January 2020

After slowing in November, 2019, US exports of ethylene polymers climbed in both December and January 2020. Little impact on volumes and prices from the corona virus is expected in US export statistics for February, with March and following months affected more severely.

US shipments of ethylene polymers in January 2020 totaled 946,000 tons and were near record high levels. Volume was 33% above January 2019. Average prices continued falling.

HDPE was the highest volume PE export, with 343,000 tons shipped in January, up 33% versus the prior January. Lower shipments to Mexico and Canada were more than offset by gains to China, Belgium, and many markets in Latin America and Asia-Pacific, among others. The average price dropped to $879/ton.

Ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymer exports were 334,000 tons in January, up 53% from the prior January. Belgium, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil, Mexico and China were the top destinations, among many. The average price fell to $881/ton.

From International Trader Publications’ World Trade Reports on All Polymers of Ethylene, HDPE, Ethylene-Alpha-Olefins Copolymers, and, the United States Polymer Trade Report.