US Petrochemical Prices Soften as Ethylene Drops 17% on Weak June Export Demand
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 1
US Petrochemical Prices Soften as Ethylene Drops 17% on Weak June Export Demand
1 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Jun 1
US spot petrochemical prices fell across the board last week, with ethylene sliding nearly 17% and polymer-grade propylene dropping about 8%.
Weakening June export demand for plastics feedstocks drove the pullback, signaling softer overseas buying for key US chemical outputs.
Ethylene has now declined for a third straight week, while PGP logged a fourth consecutive week of declines or unchanged pricing.
The two products sit at the core of plastics supply chains: ethylene feeds polyethylene for packaging and consumer goods, and PGP feeds polypropylene used in auto parts, textiles and containers.
Why is US plastic export demand weakening now, despite ongoing supply disruptions from the Middle East conflict?
As new plastic regulations loom, is the current price drop a sign of long-term decline or just a temporary market dip?
Will falling virgin plastic prices make it impossible for new recycling mandates to succeed?