PET flakes: further downward space to be limited

Recently, oil prices go weaker, and polyester prices decline generally. Prices of direct-spun PSF, virgin PFY and PET fiber chip slip by 1,000-1,500uyan/mt, and polymerization costs decline from 7,100yuan/mt to 5,800yuan/mt, with a decrement of 1,300yuan/mt.

From early Sep to end Oct, prices of PET fiber chip rose from 6,200yuan/mt to 7,450yuan/mt, and that of hot washed blue and white flakes for HC re-PSF (after-tax) climbed up from 4,950yuan/mt to 5,850yuan/mt. However, during this round of decline, PET fiber chip prices have declined to 6,300yuan/mt, and hot washed flakes for HC re-PSF prices slipped to 5,300yuan/mt. PET fiber chip saw larger decrease, but the price spread between the two products remain around 1,000yuan/mt. Cold washed flakes prices saw smaller increase previously, up from 4,200-4,300yuan/mt to 4,800-4,900yuan/mt, and prices also decline recently.

For bottle bales, previously, prices of rough bottle bales rose from 3,200-3,300yuan/mt to 3,700-3,800yuan/mt, and prices declined recently, but remained at 3,400-3,500yuan/mt. Entering winter season, recycling volumes reduce obviously with lower temperature, so the downward space for bottle bales is supposed to be limited, which may give certain support to PET flake prices. Virgin polyester market may still have downward risks, but PET flakes prices are likely to edge lower, but the decrement may be very limited with the support of seasonality and rigid recycling costs.