In the United States, Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) prices were unchanged during the week of 26 December 2025, as balanced output, stable feedstock costs, and selective demand in downstream application fields maintained the market stability. The year-end inventory behaviour further restricted any directional movements.
The U.S. Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) market remained well-supplied through the final week of December, underpinned by stable feedstock conditions and solid production management. Ethylene prices remained steady, which meant production costs were predictable, but there was no support from the cost side for further price increases. Local LLDPE producers operated with constant production rates due to the steady expansion of the manufacturing industry in the US, thereby ensuring consistent production of the commodity.
Slight tariff related vendor delays did cause some irritation in inbound material flow, but the disruptions were not significant enough to impact LLDPE availability. The producers also refrained from too much production increase a conscious measure to avoid stockpile up during normal slowness at the year end. The level of inventories among the converters and the distributors was sufficient enough for the buyers to sustain a hand-to-mouth approach while procuring.
U.S. LLDPE demand was selective and patchy by key end use sectors in the week ended December 26, 2025. Flexible packaging converters held procurement steady reflecting weaker general packaging market: total packaging papers and specialty packaging shipments during November declined 10% compared with October data in spite of a slight increase of 1% year-on-year.
Construction related demand was also weak underpinned by poor single-family housing starts and the real U.S. construction activity was forecast to fall by 2.7 percent for the year. Builder sentiment improved only slightly, and prices fell in 41% of the projects, restricting the amount of resin that could be used in films and geomembranes.
Support from automotive demand was negligible, as sales rose a meagre 0.2% m/m, which was insufficient to generate notable LLDPE demand for engineering and interior parts. Export demand was also subdued as the usual year-end activities encouraged buying to shed inventories rather than to speculate or purchase in volume. Taken together, these elements left LLDPE demand flat.
Looking forward, the U.S. LLDPE price is forecasted to trade within the range as the end of year slowdown continues to influence the purchasing. Buyers are probably going to keep their purchasing strategies based on demand, reducing inventory and not restocking before the beginning of January. Supply is anticipated to stay ample, bolstered by advance purchase cycles and stable local output. With feedstock prices stable and no major interruptions expected, supply and demand factors are also indicating price stability for LLDPE. Any sustained upward momentum will probably depend on a rebound in packaging and construction activity as seasonal effects dissipate and procurement patterns normalize in early 2026.
