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Asian players are waiting for fresh July shipment PVC offers from a major Taiwanese producer, though very few have expressed the expectation for any increases. This comes despite healthy sales results in India in the previous month and tight availability from Chinese producers.

In India, a key maker lifted local PVC prices by INR1,000/ton ($15/ton) earlier this month, however, buyers here do not see this as a leverage for international suppliers. “We think it is difficult for import market to surge given the sluggish demand condition here. It is the monsoon season and customers are less likely to keep stock ahead of the Ramadan season,” a trader said.

Meanwhile, limited supply does not help stimulating demand in local China to the expected level. “Heavy flood in Southern China is hampering buying interest. Converters are waiting for public projects to kick-start, and yet the delay in government fund might push the outlook into the uncertain zone,” a market source here commented.

Buyers are dominantly expecting more of a stable trend from last month with primary support from the upstream costs, while downstream demand across Asia has entered the off-peak season. It is reported that VCM supply is rather tight with Indonesia’s Asahimas planning to take its 150,000 tons/year unit in Anyer off-stream from mid-July for a one-month of annual maintenance.