There is support from good demand, tighter supply, and higher costs.
PC extrusion prices are heading for an increase in November in Europe as some players already report higher numbers.
Sellers appear to remain firm to lift prices from the recent lows.
This is a major turning point for extrusion prices which have been bouncing along the bottom since the spring.
The polycarbonate (PC) market failed to find support in the summer, despite the improvement in activity.
But as demand continued to increase, amid a number of turnarounds and rising costs, prices seems to be finding support.
Moreover, it is possible that sellers will aim to maintain this momentum in December.
In fact, it is understood that some buyers are already receiving higher prices for December.
The increases vary between market participants but are certainly not insignificant nor are they small adjustments.
Extrusion prices have suffered more than other segments during the pandemic.
The grade is high volume and low margin, therefore the oversupply tends to be more acutely felt.
But the situation has reversed since the last downturn. Several buyers noted that availability is now lower from all supply sources.
Nevertheless, demand for extrusion PC, despite the good supply, found support during the pandemic from its extensive use as protection against the spread of the virus.
However, recent market feedback suggests that growth in this application has been slowing during the past few months.