LDPE retains premium over other polyethylenes in Asia

21-Sep-10

In Asia, LDPE film continues to trade at a premium when compared with LLDPE film and HDPE film, as per Chemorbi. Most sources attribute this ongoing relative strength to comparatively tight supplies. A large number of new LLDPE and HDPE film capacity has been coming on-line for the past two years, while relatively few additional LDPE film capacities have come on-line over the same period. According to data from ChemOrbis Price Wizard, import LDPE film has traded at an average premium of US$201/ton over HDPE film on a CFR China, cash basis over the past ten weeks, with the premium showing a tendency to move higher over the past few weeks. From a ten-week low of US$157/ton in early August, the LDPE/HDPE film premium rose to a ten-week high of US$232/ton in early September before falling back to US$228/ton last week. Looking at data for the entire year 2010, the LDPE film/HDPE film premium in China has fluctuated between US$150/ton to just over US$250/ton for the entire period, with LDPE/HDPE film deltas of US$100/ton or less having last been seen in the closing weeks of 2009. Over the same period, data from ChemOrbis Price Wizard shows that the premium between LDPE film and LLDPE film has averaged US$153/ton on a CFR China, cash basis, with the premium dipping to a ten-week low of US$111/ton in early August, rising to a ten-week high of US$177/ton earlier in September and then falling back to US$173/ton last week. Looking back over data from the whole of 2010, LDPE film has maintained a premium of around US$75-180/ton over LLDPE film, with premiums below the US$75/ton mark last being observed in the closing weeks of 2009.