After falling 7 cents per pound ($154/ton) in December last year, US polystyrene (PS) prices fell again in January this year – down 2 cents per pound – due to the upstream price in December last year. Sliding down.

But spot prices for benzene and styrene have rebounded this month, which could cause prices to rise in February, and possibly even higher.

According to ICIS data, benzene spot prices fell 39% from October 5 to December 21, with an average price of $1.85 per gallon this month and an average price of $1.88 per gallon in December. However, from January 9 to 17, the average price was $1.91 per gallon.

Some people expect that Asian PS prices will rise slightly in the first two years of the Lunar New Year in early February, which may have a knock-on effect on US prices.

Asian producers are increasingly interested in transferring products to the US market.

Asian end users from the downstream electronics industry are replenishing their inventory to produce products shipped to the US by March.

If the price of PS in Asia does rise in the short term, then after the upcoming holiday, the increase in demand in China will be the main factor in maintaining price increases. After the Spring Festival holiday last year, the market had expected that the demand for China's PS would be very strong, but it was not realized.

China's demand last year was also lower than expected in several other markets, including styrene, ABS and EPS. This year, the Chinese market is responding to continued trade tensions and economic slowdown with the US, which may affect demand for the rest of the year.

Last Friday, US General Polystyrene (GPPS) and High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) DEL US prices ranged from 98 to 108 cents per pound.

North American PS producers include AmSty, Group Idesa, INEOS Styrolution, Resirene and Total Petrochemicals USA.