PE producers secured their $.07-.09/lb increases for April contracts and even at these very elevated levels, Polyethylene demand continued to improve the first week of May while supplies remained just as tight. Processors began to believe that the May $.05-.06/lb increase could be viable and became more aggressive with their purchases, so buy orders streamed in at a quicker pace, and as offers were scooped up, spot prices rose a few cents more. M... [More]

Polypropylene trading re-awoke as May began, it was like a whole different market and spot prices leapt at least $.04/lb. Demand roared back as PGP monomer prices began to soar again, spurred along by the Colonial Pipeline cyberattack, refinery and PDH issues, and better consumption from resin reactors and monomer exports. While reactors are mostly back running strong, most producers are still operating under Force Majeure with reduced allocation... [More]