Polyethylene and PVC prices moved up, while PP and PS prices were headed down by the end of the first quarter and into April.

Prices of four commodity thermoplastics rose in late January and early February, and new increases were announced for this month in PP, PE, and PVC.

Higher prices are projected for PE, PP, PS, and PVC in this first quarter, driven by tighter availability and/or higher costs of feedstocks.

Lower feedstock costs, ample material availability, and overall sluggish demand has driven prices down for the four commodity thermoplastics.

A sharp decline in U.S. energy prices and tabs for all key feedstocks, along with dismal-to-lackluster domestic and global demand, have brought significantly more attractive pricing for the four commodity thermoplastics and downward movement for four high-volume engineering resins.

Further price erosion is projected for at least this month, particularly in the case of polyolefins and polystyrene.

Combination of slowed global demand, build-up in resin suppliers’ inventories, and projected drops in feedstock prices are expected to provide some price relief at least through the second quarter.

Prices of commodity resins all moved up in the first quarter.

After falling almost continuously through the second half of 2011, prices of PE, PS, and PVC were all on the way up last month, with PE prices already rebounding by the end of December.

Prices of PE, PP, PS, and PVC declined further last month.

Prices of PE, PP, PS, and PVC were on the way down last month after remaining flat or slipping slightly in September.

A decrease in demand and exports as well as improved PE and ethylene inventories will lead to downward pricing in the 4th qtr.

As we enter the fourth quarter, price relief has already been felt in the four major commodity thermoplastics and four large-volume engineering resins.

Resin markets are not fair!

 In July we saw higher feedstock cost, lower inventories and increasing pricing and exports in Asia.

Falling prices for the four main commodity thermoplastics was the trend by mid-July.

Polyethylene prices are going down

Entering the third quarter, prices of the four commodity thermoplastics are expected to be flat or lower. The outlook is similar for “commodity” engineering resins—ABS, PC, and nylon 6 and 66. Reasons include lower feedstock costs, slowed demand, improved supply, and low exports.

Prices of commodity resins were on the way up last month, driven by higher feedstock costs and restricted supplies of feedstocks and resins.

Sticker shock is pummeling polyolefin buyers as PP nearly repeats the unprecedented price surge of January, and PE prices are also flirting with a double-digit increase.

The Polyethylene market continues to be extremely volatile and looking at another $0.11 price increase for April.  Feedstock prices are very erratic with large price fluctuations on a daily basis.

Entering this year’s second quarter, prices of four commodity thermoplastics were largely flat but poised to move upward, driven by higher feedstock costs.

Although current market indicators support flat pricing on polyethylene the producers are still pushing for a $0.05 increase with a split ($0.03 in February and $0.02 in March).  Crude oil is pushing $100 per barrel but feedstock prices are not seeing the impact.  With the export market beginning to heat up, take a resin position to cover your needs through April while continuing to watch the feedstock prices and inventory levels to determine the next direction on price.

The second quarter will bring a risk of higher prices for PE, PS, and PVC, driven primarily by higher feedstock costs and a strong rebound of exports.

Other commodity materials flat to down.

Except for PP, prices of commodity resins bumped upward in November.

Prices of commodity resins other than PVC moved up in September—and, in the case of polypropylene, rose a bit more in October.

Prices of commodity thermoplastics, except for PVC, moved up last month.

Prices of commodity resins, except for polypropylene, fell a bit more last month.

The steady decline in commodity resin prices continued last month and into August.

Prices of four major commodity resins continued to drop last month, albeit at a somewhat lesser velocity than in May.

Lower prices for all four major commodity thermoplastics were the trend from late April to mid-May, with good potential for further downward movement this month and beyond

Despite further increases in prices of commodity resins in March and April, all indicators point to lower pricing, except perhaps for PVC, according to purchasing consultants at Resin Technology, Inc. (RTi) in Fort Worth, Texas (resinpros.com). Improvements in the supply of ethylene and propylene monomers were a key factor in lower prices.

Though prices of major commodity resins were still rising in March, there were indications that they may have peaked, according to purchasing consultants at Resin Technology, Inc. (RTi) in Fort Worth, Texas.

Prices of major commodity resins were on the way up last month, with looming potential for further increases this month, according to purchasing consultants at Resin Technology, Inc. (RTI) in Fort Worth, Texas.

Prices of all four commodity resins were moving up last month and in some cases into this month.

Prices of commodity resins are generally on an upswing as we enter the new year.

Resin prices were soft this autumn, and despite some announced hikes for commodity resins, purchasing consultants at Resin Technology, Inc., (RTI) in Fort Worth, Texas, advise that processors continue to look for bargains.

This month, we are launching a new format for our monthly column on resin pricing, which now focuses on “benchmark” grades of the four main “commodity” resins—PE, PP, PS, and PVC.

With demand for all commodity resins exceedingly weak, and feedstock prices fallen through the floor, there appears to be nothing to stop resin tabs from shrinking further in 2009.

There are lots of ways to economize on resin costs, but here are four that you may have overlooked: negotiating smarter resin contracts, buying “futures,” using recycled resins, and more efficient purging aids. The main idea is to give yourself more choices, no matter what direction resin prices go.