Chemicals Updates

Asian Polyethylene: Falls amid weakening demand / Sufficient near-term inventory caps buying appetite / Upstream support weakens on falling ethylene prices

May 20, 2026

Trading momentum was weak in the Asian polyethylene markets May 13, with several market sources noting a slowdown in purchase activity amid sufficient inventories and uncertain near-term demand. In the Chinese domestic markets, discussion levels for LLDPE and LDPE grades fell week over week, as buyers retreated amid a lack of buying urgency. Talks for imported material remained limited, with several traders saying key producers in the Middle East continue to face export challenges, while buyers were not keen to purchase import material at higher prices given falls in the domestic Yuan-denominated markets and local supply availability. Meanwhile, some Chinese producers and traders said they continued to see inquiries for exports from other Asian regions, including Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, even as demand across the region fell amid an...

Exclusive market movement data, shipping lineups, demand signals and pricing rationale continue in full report.

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