Allianz Trade’s Sector Atlas 2026 flags a “Sensitive” risk for Europe’s chemical industry, as high energy costs, Asian overcapacity and weak demand reshape the plastics and olefins landscape.
Discover the latest PET bottle grade chip price trends, upstream feedstock impacts, and global supply shifts shaping packaging costs today.
The Iran war lifted resin prices by disrupting oil, feedstock and shipping flows. Yet weak demand, excess capacity and a possible recovery in Strait of Hormuz traffic could prevent those gains from lasting.
The BOPP film market remains resilient, but capacity growth, regional imbalances, regulation and specialty-film demand are reshaping competition.
European polymer prices are falling sharply in July as weak demand, improved availability and cheaper feedstocks put polyethylene and polypropylene under pressure.
China’s PA6 market posted one of its steepest monthly declines of 2026 in May, driven by falling benzene and caprolactam costs, weak downstream demand, and rising inventories. Market participants now expect prices to remain under pressure through June, although the pace of decline could slow.
The global nylon 6 and nylon 6,6 market is undergoing a major structural shift in 2026, driven by regional imbalances, China’s overcapacity, and rising demand for engineering plastics. While textile applications remain dominant in volume, profitability is increasingly concentrated in automotive, electrical, and industrial uses, reshaping the industry’s value chain and pricing dynamics.
Global plastic raw material prices surged in April 2026 due to rising feedstock costs, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions. Europe, Asia, and the Far East face strong market pressure.
Global energy markets are on edge as Brent and WTI crude prices climb amid escalating geopolitical risks and tightening supply.
