- Slow trade continues- The upstream styrene markets are stuck with negative
margins and lack of downstream demand



In the week ending April 5, the US
acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene markets held steady, as did upstream styrene
liquidity. Although
there was some upstream styrene trade, prices were still below
feedstock benzene. The downstream ABS markers were unable to supply sufficient
demand to keep styrene spot price from falling below feedstock benzene. Although margins for styrene manufacturers were decreasing,
they were still negative. However, there were no arbitrage opportunities in the
US Gulf. Sources claimed that they had
noticed early signs of increased ABS demand, but no price impact. The spot price of US butadiene remained near its two-year
lows, March 17, despite low demand. Due to
increased production costs and higher feedstock costs, US spot export
acrylonitrile prices...