This week on Resin Market Moves, Michael Workman covers the most consequential week in resin pricing in recent memory — and breaks down exactly what buyers should do about it.
The conflict in the Middle East has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to meaningful trade flow. Over 20% of global crude and more than 5% of global PP moves through that channel. It is not moving right now. The result: feedstock costs spiking across the board, producers pushing increases in every major resin simultaneously, and export demand pulling hard at US domestic supply.
This is not a single-resin story. This is a portfolio-level event. And the buyers who understand what is driving each specific market — as opposed to accepting every increase as inevitable — will protect their margins in Q2.
WHAT WE COVER:
- PE: Up to $0.10/lb March, $0.15/lb April. Brent at $110–$115. Ethylene toward 30 cents/lb.
- PP: PGP spot at 51 cents/lb, a 50%+ jump month to date. Invista PDH still offline. One producer at +10 cents/lb April.
- PS: BZ above $4.00/gal. AmSty 17 cents/lb for April. February supply/demand data actually supports the move.
- PVC: 3–5 cents/lb March. Heavy turnaround season. One supplier at 7 cents/lb for April.
- ABS: Celanese $0.20/lb and INEOS $0.15/lb for April. Acrylonitrile up $0.19/lb week over week.
- PET: Indorama moving immediately. APG and Celanese following. World Cup demand tailwind ahead.
- PC, PA6, PA66: Celanese moving across engineered materials. April the focus. Demand still soft.
- The 5 things smart buyers are doing right now before Q2 locks in.
RESOURCES:
——
ResinSmart is the industry's only platform combining real resin market analytics with hands-on supplier negotiation guidance. Powered by RTi — 25+ years, 25B+ lbs of transaction data.
Subscribe for weekly episodes every Friday.
What is The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief?
If you buy plastic resin for a living, this podcast is your edge. Hosted by the experts behind ResinSmart, The Plastic Resin Buyer Brief gives you fast, focused updates on the market forces moving resin prices—and the strategies that smart buyers are using to save money, reduce risk, and make better decisions.
No fluff. No filler. Just the information you actually need—delivered by sourcing pros who’ve managed billions in resin spend.
Subscribe now to stay ahead of the curve in polyethylene, polypropylene, and beyond.
Learn more: www.resinsmart.ai
Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/resin-technology-inc
Watch episodes on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RTiGetResinSmart