Zachary Moore

The month of October witnessed fresh signals of economic distress, both domestically and globally, after previous months had generated some optimism about a potential market turnaround. Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) showed manufacturing activity declining for a 12th consecutive month, with the chemicals sector falling for the 14th month in a row.

September brought higher contract prices to both the US polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) markets, driven primarily by stronger domestic sales and higher feedstock costs. Sales data through August showed both domestic and overall PP sales reaching their year-to-date highs on the month. Domestic PP sales in North America through the first eight months of 2023 are down 4.5% compared with the same time period of 2022.

Second-quarter earnings calls brought talks of “green shoots” and a possible end to the de-stocking that has dominated markets for the past several months. However, the same producer earnings calls reflected a not terribly optimistic view of the second half, while the recently released Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) showed a ninth consecutive decline in US manufacturing activity as well as an 11th consecutive decline for the chemical sector.