SE Asia PBR trades slow amid year-end holiday lull

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Spot prices of polybutadiene rubber (PBR) remained flat in southeast Asia, with discussions and trades thin amid the year-end holiday lull.

“There is very little discussion or trades as most of the market players have wound their business and closed their accounts for the fiscal year,” a rubber trader said.

Spot offers at $1,750/tonne CFR (cost & freight) SE (southeast) Asia for fresh shipments of high-cis grade were met with little interest as the downstream tyre makers have mostly covered their requirements till February.

High-cis PBR prices were at $1,650-1,750/tonne CFR SE Asia on 14 December, ICIS data showed.

“We have procured sufficient PBR stocks to cover our requirements till February, so we are not in a hurry and can wait,” a downstream tyre maker said.

The downstream tyre makers were also not keen to procure additional PBR spot volumes, given cheaper and ample supplies of natural rubber (NR).

At mid-day on 21 December, the SMR20 tyre grade NR price was at US 143.95 cents/kg at the Malaysian Rubber Exchange.

NR and PBR are substitute feedstocks for the production of tyres for the automotive industry and their prices tend to impact each other.