Vinyls - Vinyls global monthly market overview December 2018

PVC producers in North America continue to assert their need for a resin price increase in December, but some of the conditions favoring the increase are falling to the wayside. First announced for October, the price increase was supported by rising feedstock costs and good domestic demand at the time. Driven by a short-lived ethane price spike, ethylene costs pushed PVC costs upward. Today, ethane prices have receded from their highs, ethylene costs are on the decline and PVC buyers have yet to accept any price increases.