Polypropylene Carbonate Price Trend and Forecast

Regional Price Overview

Get the latest insights on price movement and trend analysis of Polypropylene Carbonate in different regions across the world (Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa).

Polypropylene Carbonate Price Trend for the First Half of 2023

Asia

As expected, with growing demands from EV, paint & coating, adhesive & chemicals, and other downstream sectors, the Polypropylene Carbonate prices improved in the first quarter of the year 2023. However, since the industries were shut briefly in China for the Lunar New Year holidays, the unused products piled up in inventories amidst uninterrupted supplies. This led to a swift decline in prices in the second quarter. Overall, mixed market trend were observed, exhibiting a positive outlook.

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Europe

The European Polypropylene Carbonate market almost mimicked the Asian Polypropylene Carbonate market in the first half of the year 2023. As the supply chains started improving and offshore trade routes also started easing amidst a stretching Russia-Ukraine war, the price trend improved initially in the first quarter. But, going forward in the second quarter, a decline in upstream cost support from the feedstock side pushed the market down slightly. The narrow-ranged variations and wavering continued for the rest of the second quarter as well. In June’23, the quarter ended on a relatively positive note.

North America

The Polypropylene Carbonate market was rather cold in the North American region compared to other parts of the world. The alarming economic situation after the collapse of two major US banks resulted in consumer hesitation to order more products. The construction and manufacturing sectors also took a hit. These uncertainties kept the Polypropylene Carbonate market situation gloomy.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, Polypropylene Carbonate price trend are likely to fluctuate in the coming months as well. The downstream demands and the inventory levels will play a major role in determining the market trend.

Polypropylene Carbonate Price Trend for the Second Half of 2022

Asia

Polypropylene Carbonate observed mixed price trend during the second half of the year 2022. The stillness in the downstream markets owing to long-term, state-imposed shutdowns during peak COVID months in China resulted in subdued consumer interest.

This led to the downfall of Polypropylene Carbonate prices in the major chunk of the discussed period. However, as the revival attempts progressed, the Polypropylene Carbonate market also heated up a little by the end of the final quarter. After tottering at the lower end since the beginning of the third quarter, the Polypropylene Carbonate prices lifted a little in the latter half of the fourth quarter.

Europe

The price trend fluctuated for Polypropylene Carbonate throughout the last six months of the year 2022. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia pushed the entire region into economic stress, dealing with heavy inflation, which impacted all kinds of markets and trade exchanges. Because of a fundamental shift in buying and consuming patterns, the demands dropped down from end consumers, and the market was bearish for the longest time. Some counterback was observed in the fourth quarter as European economies tried to revive by controlling rampant inflation.

North America

The third quarter was relatively positive for Polypropylene Carbonate since the growing usage of lithium-ion batteries called for increased demand. However, as the inventories rose and the upstream cost support subsided substantially, the prices showed some downward fluctuations as well, primarily in the last quarter of the year.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the future projections look supportive for the Polypropylene Carbonate price trend since the EV sector is on the rise, which will, in turn, push the Polypropylene Carbonate demands up.

For the Second Quarter of 2022

Asia

Throughout the second quarter, the price trend for propylene carbonate in the Asia Pacific region experienced conflicting emotions. The Northeast Asian market's EV sector was gloomy for a substantial amount of time due to the covid limitation on China.

The personal care and cosmetics businesses continued to receive respectable numbers of queries. The restrictions on the domestic market were removed by the Chinese government, but the market's attitude temporarily stabilised. The Southeastern market, meanwhile, was primarily concerned with meeting the demand for the personal care and cosmetics sectors.

Europe

The European region's market for propylene carbonate remained steady during the second quarter of 2022, despite a few brief price rises. The availability of various raw materials was considerably impacted by the retaliatory measures and ban on Russian energy supplies.

Because of the sanctions, the European markets were hard hit by inflation, which led to higher interest rates and less expenditure, creating a deficit in supply and demand. These higher price quotations were not supported by the lowered market sentiments, hence the prices stabilised towards the end of the said period.

North America

Throughout the second quarter of 2022, the North American propylene carbonate market experienced considerable fluctuations. The industry's growth is mostly related to the margin between feedstock Propylene and upstream Naphtha in the domestic US market, which is continuously shrinking. The cost support for generating propylene carbonate in the US domestic market was significantly reduced as a result of the lower demand for propylene and derivatives from the polypropylene industries.

For the First Quarter of 2022

Asia

Polypropylene carbonate prices changed in the Asian region in the first quarter of 2022. Because of China's zero covid policy, prices in the Chinese market have dropped. However, due to rising demand for downstream EV batteries in the vehicle sector, price of the chemical surged in the Indian market, particularly in the second half of the quarter.

Due to a lack of construction activity in Q1 2022, downstream paint industry demand remained flat. Uncertainties in material supply elevated the manufacturing costs in the Asian region in March, boosting polypropylene carbonate prices even more in the second half of the quarter.

Europe

During the first quarter of 2022, polypropylene carbonate prices in Europe were stable. The Automotive sector's demand for downstream EV batteries was stable, with consistent offtakes. However, in Q1, the price of the feedstock propylene glycol fell.

The region has previously experienced a major energy value crisis upstream. Furthermore, the situation worsened after Russia invaded Ukraine, causing Crude Oil prices to skyrocket and some European players to be wary of procuring Russian cargoes at the Black Sea. As a result, the feedstock's cost support stayed high, bolstering propylene glycol offerings on the European market.

North America

Throughout the first quarter of 2022, polypropylene carbonate prices in the North American market were stable. The conflict in eastern Europe caused an upward gyration in the upstream energy cycle, which has had an influence on downstream supply chain commodities.

As a result, feed propylene glycol costs held steady in Q1. Consistent inquiries from the domestic market demonstrated that demand for the chemoical from downstream EV vehicles in the US market is improving. Uncertainties in the global supply chain increased freight costs during the second half of the first quarter. By the conclusion of the first quarter, producer quotations for polypropylene carbonate in the US domestic market had increased by 6.74 percent.

For the Fourth Quarter of 2021

Asia

The Asia Pacific market grew significantly in the fourth quarter of 2021, with growth factors ascribed to increased demand from downstream industries. Because polypropylene carbonate is a useful electrolyte for EV batteries, prices of battery raw materials have risen by a large percentage during the fourth quarter despite a supply glut.

The rise in crude oil offers, combined with Chinese authorities' adoption of tough environmental protection standards, brought inflationary pressure to the Asia Electrolytes market, which was followed by a strong demand prognosis. As a result, propylene carbonate offers remained strong during the fourth quarter of 2021.

Europe

Polypropylene carbonate sentiments in the European market rose over the fourth quarter of 2021, owing to tighter supply vs outstripping demand. While the prolonged energy crisis in Europe continued to have an influence on operational loads at manufacturing facilities, coupled with a rise in Crude oil offers, the operational cost for the chemical in the European domestic market increased.

The demand outlook surged dramatically following COP 26 Glasgow, as questions from the EV sector poured in. Polypropylene carbonate offerings grew steadily in Q4 2021 as a result of the ripple effect.

North America

North America's polypropylene carbonate market sentiments were buoyant throughout the fourth quarter of 2021, drawing cues from the supply-demand mismatch throughout the quarter. The comeback in Crude Oil offers boosted upstream propylene offers, but refinery disruptions and lower run rates provided adequate cost support for the chemical in the US domestic market.

The demand picture remained positive throughout the quarter, as battery manufacturers scrambled to secure long-term Electrolyte supplies after COP 26 Glasgow, putting the market in a more competitive position. Offerings increased significantly in the US domestic market as a result of the ripple effect.

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