Despite the stabilization in futures, market participants remained cautious, refraining from making new purchases as they assessed the near-term outlook. Market attention is now focused on Inner Mongolia Baofeng III’s second 500,000 tons/year HDPE/LLDPE swing line
Several Middle Eastern producers have revised their PE price offers for February shipments to China, marking reductions compared to previous price lists. This shift was largely anticipated in light of mounting market pressures.
Indonesian buyers have refrained from placing large orders in recent weeks, citing sufficient inventory to last until the end of February. As a result, there are no clear signs of pre-Ramadan stockpiling activity. Buyer caution is further exacerbated by the highly volatile exchange rates.
Spot LLDPE film prices currently command an average premium of CNY 1,147/ton ($157/ton) over key contracts on the Dalian Commodity Exchange, a disparity that has sparked sharp criticism from local traders. Many argue that the recent plunge in futures prices may have been excessive, reflecting an overcorrection rather than market fundamentals.