- Lower import requirements due to weaker domestic China
prices- A high inventory decreases
the operation rate





Asian polystyrene market prices dropped by
$10-40/mt over the week of July 27th, due to lower upstream styrene monomer
prices and weak downstream demand. Due to
volatile upstream SM price movements, downstream PS trade volume remained low. Sources
suggested that downstream demand might rise following the fall in SM prices. According
to market participants, the PS operation rates were lower because of high
inventory and slow volume sales. According to sources, the expandable
polystyrene industry trend is declining due to sluggish demand from Vietnam.
They also said that downstream import volumes almost doubled in 2021, which
made downstream inventory record-breaking high. Sources
said that the demand for packaging has suffered a lot from global inflation in
2022. However,...