In the past week (September 3-10, 2024), the prices of plastic raw materials have shown a complex trend of change, influenced by various factors. Here are the specific situations:
1. The impact of crude oil price fluctuations: Crude oil is the main raw material for plastic production, and its price fluctuations have a significant impact on the price of plastic raw materials. In the past week, the trend of crude oil prices has not been very clear and is in a certain fluctuation state. This also makes the price of plastic raw materials lack a clear direction in terms of cost support. When crude oil prices rise, the production cost of plastics increases, theoretically driving up the price of plastic raw materials; On the contrary, the decline in crude oil prices may bring certain downward pressure to plastic raw material prices.
2. Specific manifestations of different varieties :
-Polyethylene (PE): The price remained relatively stable this week with minimal fluctuations. It is widely used in industries such as packaging and construction, and maintains a relatively stable demand, which to some extent supports price stability. However, the supply in the market is also relatively sufficient, which lacks sufficient motivation for price increases.
-Polypropylene (PP): The price may fluctuate to some extent, but the overall change is not significant. Its demand mainly comes from industries such as automobiles and home appliances, and there has been no significant change in demand in these industries recently, so the demand for polypropylene is relatively stable. However, there have been fluctuations in the production capacity and output of manufacturing enterprises, which have had a certain impact on market supply and led to some minor price fluctuations.
-Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): The price is showing a certain downward trend. On the one hand, there is relatively more supply in the market, while demand growth is relatively slow, and the imbalance between supply and demand has led to a decrease in prices. On the other hand, the market demand for PVC has been somewhat suppressed due to the macroeconomic environment and the development of related industries.
3. Regional Differences : There are also certain differences in the prices of plastic raw materials in different regions. For example, the Middle East is an important production area for plastic raw materials, and its product prices are influenced by factors such as local production conditions and export policies. In other regions of Asia, such as China and India, as the main consumer markets for plastics, their prices are influenced by factors such as domestic market demand and import policies.
Overall, the prices of plastic raw materials have shown a relatively complex trend of change in the past week due to the combined effects of various factors, with certain differences between different varieties and regions. Market participants need to closely monitor changes in crude oil prices, supply and demand relationships, policies and regulations, and other factors in order to make timely and reasonable decisions.