Across Southeast Asia, multiple regional PP plants have been taken offline due to unsatisfactory profit margins, while others are running at reduced capacity. Although buyers are not engaging in panic buying, the possibility of a tighter supply of duty-free cargo is emboldening sellers to hold firm on prices.
In the import sector, conditions were less favorable due to the depreciation of the Yuan, which has raised the cost of cargoes priced in US dollars. A leading Middle Eastern producer reduced PE offers by $20/ton from its previous price announcement,
However, there are growing concerns among market participants regarding the sustainability of this uptick. New orders for finished goods continue to be driven by immediate needs rather than broader market confidence, casting doubt on the longevity of this demand spike.