Styrenics

February was quite unspectacular and almost silent. After the modest €10/t ($11) increase in the styrene reference, no price spikes were expected either way. By consequence, a cost pass-through or rollover was at the centre of polystyrene (PS) and expanded PS price discussions at the beginning of February. As the month progressed, however, weak demand increasingly put pressure on prices, adding a sprinkle of slight...

Styrenics prices have bottomed out. In January 2023, prices for polystyrene (PS) and expanded PS increased for the first time in six months in the wake of the increased styrene reference contract. Although demand improved compared with the extremely weak December, it was still quite subdued, with inventory restocking at the start of the year turning out noticeably lower than expected. Given the abundant availability...