ICIS has a network of locally based reporters providing coverage of regional Polyethylene markets. They provide not just pricing information, but an in-depth understanding of the factors driving prices and market fluctuations.
Updated to Q1 2018
Polyethylene (PE) production in Latin America has been mostly constant during Q1 and recovering in Brazil from an explosion that affected a low density polyethylene (LDPE) line in the Triunfo plant. Braskem restored that production in Q1, but another maintenance started on the Triunfo plant late in the quarter. Mexico has had the typical slowdowns in production related to a lack of ethane for its PE plants. However, those shortages are less important now because Pemex is importing low volumes of ethane from the US to test their viability. So far, three cargoes have landed in Mexico and three more are expected in Q2. PE production has increased slightly in Mexico, or put in different words, the shortages in PE production are now smaller, at least while these tests continue.
Demand in the southern hemisphere has been steady during the summer months because in many countries, availability of PE has been limited with fewer exports from the US Gulf. However, Q1 started with slow demand because buyers expected prices to decline in 2018 with increased production in the US Gulf. Once it was clear that supply was short, demand increased rapidly to keep plants from stopping production. Demand has been steady in Mexico and Central America, countries that depend on US product to fill their PE supply needs.
We offer the following regional Polyethylene analysis and news coverage to keep you informed of factors and developments affecting prices in the Latin America Polyethylene marketplace.
More information about the price reports we publish on Polyethylene
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More information about the historical price data we publish on Polyethylene
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ICIS price assessments are based on information gathered from a wide cross-section of the market, comprising consumers, producers, traders and distributors from more than 250 reporters world-wide. Confirmed deals, verified by both buyer and seller, provide the foundation of our price assessments.
Our in-depth market knowledge drives our specialist focus, as we recognise the importance of individual market dynamics and not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Over 25 years of reporting on key chemicals markets, including Polyethylene, has brought global recognition of our methodology as being unbiased, authoritative and rigorous in preserving our editorial integrity. Our global network of reporters in Houston, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Mumbai, Perth and Moscow ensures unrivalled coverage of established and emerging markets.
Low density polyethylene (LDPE) is used predominantly as a packaging film, either on its own or blended with linear low density PE to improve mechanical properties.
The polyethylene (PE) report for Latin America provides domestic prices for the most widely used grades of PE in several key Latin American markets.
It has prices from Mexico, Columbia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, assessed in the domestic currencies of each country – a unique feature of ICIS reports.
It also includes commentary on feedstocks, plant outages, policy changes, news and currency fluctuations.
A table with international prices is also included to facilitate comparisons for import/export operations. We talk to buyers, producers, distributors and traders every week to obtain a good cross section of market information.
We also assess the data using ICIS intelligence about upstream and downstream markets, including logistics, seasonal patterns and historical data.
ICIS provides producers, traders, consultants, analysts, transformers and consumers with key price assessments, and uses that to bring market transparency.
ICIS collects pricing data on a wide range of chemical, energy and fertilizer products, including Polyethylene. Our extensive experience in price reporting means we can offer you access to historical data dating back more than 20 years for certain commodities.
Our time series of pricing data enables you to build and model trends, to get a view of where markets might be heading. The data service includes charting functionality, allowing you to chart and download multiple data series for manipulation in your own internal models. You can also export data to Excel via the ICIS dashboard service.
ICIS price assessments are based on information gathered from a wide cross-section of the market, comprising consumers, producers, traders and distributors from more than 250 reporters world-wide. Confirmed deals, verified by both buyer and seller, provide the foundation of our price assessments.
Our in-depth market knowledge drives our specialist focus, as we recognise the importance of individual market dynamics and not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Over 25 years of reporting on key chemicals markets, including polyethylene, has brought global recognition of our methodology as being unbiased, authoritative and rigorous in preserving our editorial integrity. Our global network of reporters in Houston, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Mumbai, Perth and Moscow ensures unrivalled coverage of established and emerging markets.