US Polystyrene Weakens on Post-Holiday Lull, While China Rallies on Tightening Supply

The polystyrene (PS) markets travelled different directions in the week ending January xx, xxxx. Although the American market displayed early signs of weakness, China appeared to experience an impressive price hike. The week ending January xx, xxxx, showed how these demand patterns-the regions mentioned, economic indicators, and supply-side developments-profoundly shaped market sentiments.

In the United States, PS export prices were flat to slightly softer as trading slowed down after the New Year holidays. Many buyers have sat on the sidelines; some have deferred new purchases to await clearer signals from market conditions. This softer buying interest contributed somewhat to a mild decline in sentiment without, however, affecting the official price assessments, which remained very much unchanged.

That much, however, involved an economic environment in the more general sense for the United States. Data by the National Association...