In the first half of November 2025, German ethylene vinyl acetate export prices were stable. Supply-demand fundamentals are favoured over production issues or port problems, so price changes were not expected to happen. There was plenty of supply on the market from good import activity and above-average stocking levels, which allowed reasonable access to ethylene vinyl acetate grades, despite production interruptions at domestic plants. Producers that built excess inventory needed to sell at competitive prices, correlated with upstream costs: Ethylene fell 1.4% while vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) prices held steady. On the demand side, limited buying interest in packaging, footwear, and solar prompted low trading volumes, adding to overall caution. Distributors continued to manage low expectations for a market recovery and see flat demand continuing through year-end at best. Port congestion at Hamburg, Antwerp, Genoa, and Rotterdam added logistical pressure but did not trigger price fluctuations. In the broader economy, there was little help, as inflation eased to 2.3% in October. Against this macro context, ethylene vinyl acetate costs will likely remain stable heading into December as oversupply and slow consumption limit upward pressure.
The ethylene vinyl acetate market in Germany remained stable through early November, with little movement in FOB export prices. Participants in the market reported that the strong availability of ethylene vinyl acetate, supported by ongoing import flows and good inventory levels, mitigated difficulties surrounding production issues at domestic plants. Producers with challenges in production were resorting to unloading inventories at competitive prices, ensuring good availability of ethylene vinyl acetate grades in the region. Even though some of the large European ports, including Hamburg, Antwerp, Genoa, and Rotterdam, were heavily congested, supply chains held firm to prevent severe upward pricing pressure.
Regarding costs, upstream ethylene prices were down 1.4% while vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) prices were unchanged, contributing to the cost picture for ethylene vinyl acetate producers. The drop in ethylene supported margins somewhat, yet competition from sellers with excess inventories continued to be a sentiment drag. Recent market assessments suggest average ethylene vinyl acetate prices were down 3.6% year-on-year, but unchanged month-on-month. This flat moving tally is indicative of the oversupplied environment and muted demand expectations.
Demand for ethylene vinyl acetate remained restrained across the four core downstream sectors: packaging converters exhibited sporadic buying interest, footwear manufacturers adopted a more cautious purchasing stance, and solar encapsulation demand remained tepid against a backdrop of slow installations. Distributors and traders had little expectation of price recovery and believed that flat demand would last at least through the end of 2025. Competitive offers in the spot market exerted downward price pressure, and logistical challenges at the ports added some pressure, but did not materially influence price dynamics.
Economic measures provide additional context for the stability of the ethylene vinyl acetate market. Germany's annual inflation rate dropped slightly to 2.3% in October 2025, down from 2.4% in September, suggesting a little less urgency for industrial buyers. GDP growth was reported marginally at 0.3% year-on-year, whilst the overall economy stagnated in the face of weak investment and trade tensions. These macroeconomic headwinds led to lower downstream consumption, further supporting the cautious tone of ethylene vinyl acetate buyers.
In the weeks ahead, the ethylene vinyl acetate market is expected to remain stable in Germany. Elevated inventories, steady import flows, and competitive pricing strategies are expected to continue to balance supply-demand fundamentals. However, persistent port disruptions and weak end-use consumption across packaging, footwear, and solar are still expected to have a limited upside potential. Barring a meaningful demand recovery, FOB export prices for ethylene vinyl acetate are expected to hold flat through late November-early December amid cautious sentiment in the regional market.
