Polyester Price Forecast In Europe and USA - December 2012

In Europe, December ethylene contract price was settled at Euro 1,275 a ton FD, rolling over from November. November spot had closed the week In spot, assessed at Euro1,080-1,085 a ton while the CIF NWE numbers were at US$1,200-1,205 a ton. Spot ethylene prices in Northwest Europe are likely to soften with the easing of naphtha cost and poor downstream demand. Meanwhile, US ethylene spot price will remain flat to marginally up as turnarounds were complete and expectations of supply to resume will limit uptrend.

In US, this is a seasonally slow time for polyester staple, due to inventory management towards end of the year and also because of time off for holidays. European polyester sector will remain extremely nervous in December but the expectation will be to roll over current prices on through the year end. Capacity utilization within Europe’s business will remain reasonably high, but with little confidence on continuity.