PS prices fall more than expected in Europe in February, according to the latest assessments by GC Intelligence.
Prices decreased €90/mt for General Purpose Polystyrene (GPPS) and €105/mt for high impact polystyrene (HIPS).
The main factor pushing prices down was the improvement in availability after troubles ended at several production plants across Europe.
The improvement in supply eased panic-buying which likely improved availability further.
However, some sectors continued to show great resilience, especially production of XPS, used in the construciton industry.
This strength in the construction sector prevented the market from returning to balance as several suppliers stopped orders on GPPS due to overwhelming demand.
Meanwhile, the outlook worsened after the geopolitical crisis increased fears of another wave of energy prices increases.