Despite the recent decline in naphtha costs, sellers remain unwilling to lower ethylene prices, attributing their reluctance to the volatility in crude oil futures, which they argue could trigger unpredictable swings in naphtha prices.
Stable demand from the agricultural film sector provided robust support for coal-based LLDPE, as reflected in the strong auction results. In contrast, the homo-PP auction struggled, even after a CNY 80/ton discount from the previous session failed to stimulate sufficient buyer interest.
This significant drop in spot offers, along with adjustments in third-quarter 2024 contract pricing, has raised concerns among Indonesian buyers. Many have opted to delay purchases, citing uncertainty about the near-term price trajectory and supply availability.
The Chinese PVC market has plunged to unprecedented lows, with prices now beneath the levels witnessed during the pandemic lockdowns of April 2020. The primary driver of this decline is the persistently weak domestic demand, exacerbated by an extended downturn in China's property sector.
While the recent price cuts have provided temporary relief for Chinese PET bottle suppliers, the combination of weakening demand, oversupply in upstream markets, and buyer caution points to ongoing challenges for the sector.