Polyvinyl Alcohol Price Trend and Forecast

Polyvinyl Alcohol Regional Price Overview

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

Polyvinyl Alcohol Price Trend for the Q4 of 2024

Asia

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) prices in Asia remained relatively stable throughout Q4 2024, supported by steady domestic production and supply. However, demand from key sectors such as textiles and construction remained subdued due to seasonal slowdowns and economic uncertainties in certain regions. India imposed anti-dumping duties on some Chinese imports during the quarter, providing local manufacturers with slight relief from underpriced competition.
 

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Despite fluctuations in upstream feedstock prices, including methanol and acetic acid, stabilized supply chains helped maintain price stability. The adhesives and coatings sectors saw limited procurement activity, with market participants focusing on maintaining low inventory levels. Meanwhile, some Southeast Asian countries experienced a slight increase in construction activity, offering minimal support to PVA prices but not leading to significant price fluctuations.

Europe

European PVA prices remained stable throughout Q4 2024 due to weak demand, reducing market pressure. The construction and automotive industries, key downstream markets for PVA in Germany, faced economic challenges, further contributing to subdued demand. To avoid overstocking, producers operated at reduced rates, ensuring adequate supply across the region. Additionally, feedstock prices remained largely unaffected by supply chain disruptions, allowing manufacturers to maintain stable production costs.

However, limited trading activity and cautious purchasing by end-users kept prices from rising. Despite being a major consumer of PVA, the coatings industry saw minimal demand growth due to reduced consumer spending and weak industrial output. The market maintained a bearish sentiment, with European PVA prices exhibiting only minor fluctuations by the end of the quarter.

North America

North American PVA prices in Q4 2024 exhibited slight fluctuations but generally followed a downward trend, reflecting weak demand from the construction, automotive, and coatings sectors. At the start of the quarter, prices remained stable due to ongoing production and sufficient supply. However, by December, inquiries and trading activity declined, particularly in the construction sector, which contributed to weaker market conditions. Although residential construction showed signs of a cautious rebound, with increases in single-family permits and starts, overall housing activity remained sluggish.

Throughout the quarter, feedstock prices, including methanol and acetic acid, experienced modest increases, creating some cost pressure for manufacturers. However, high inventory levels and slow market activity prevented these cost increases from significantly impacting PVA prices. Towards the end of the quarter, industry experts anticipated a gradual recovery in downstream markets, supported by expectations of regulatory relaxation and improved consumer confidence.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Polyvinyl Alcohol price graph is expected to show a growth momentum in the near future as the inventories ease off and demand improves after the reopening of the downstream industries.
 

Polyvinyl Alcohol Price Trend for the Q3 of 2024

Asia

In Asia, the polyvinyl alcohol market witnessed a consolidation in China due to weak demand from the downstream textile industry, which entered a seasonal lull during the summer months. The off-season in the textile sector resulted in reduced demand for polyvinyl alcohol, and manufacturers adopted a cautious approach with just-in-time purchasing strategies. This led to a softening in polyvinyl alcohol prices, although fluctuations were limited within a narrow range.

In contrast, the Indian polyvinyl alcohol market saw a more significant price increase, driven by strong demand from the domestic textile sector, which continued to thrive despite the global challenges. The Indian market benefited from robust domestic manufacturing activities, although inflationary pressures on input costs were high. The increased demand for polyvinyl alcohol in India also led to an uptick in production and purchasing activity, with manufacturers expanding their operations to meet the growing need for polyvinyl alcohol -based products.

Europe

In Europe, the polyvinyl alcohol market presented a more mixed scenario. In Germany, rising import prices from China created upward pressure on the market, although existing stock levels appeared sufficient to meet the prevailing demand. The textile industry showed varying performance, with a decline in wholesale prices contrasted by a rise in retail sales.

The broader economic climate in Germany further suggested a decline in future expectations, although the present market conditions remained stable. Additionally, the European Central Bank’s decision to cut interest rates reflected broader economic concerns, which translated into reduced purchasing activity for polyvinyl alcohol and other materials. Geopolitical factors also played a role in Europe, with disruptions in the Red Sea impacting shipping routes and contributing to a tightening of freight capacity, further elevating import prices from Asia.

North America

In North America, the polyvinyl alcohol market experienced a robust upward trend, primarily driven by strong demand from the textile industry. The US manufacturing sector, as indicated by the June 2024 PMI, reflected a positive growth trajectory, with increased production and rising new orders supporting the demand for polyvinyl alcohol. The textile sector, a key downstream consumer of polyvinyl alcohol, showed strength, particularly in the retail segment, with a rise in clothing store sales boosting the need for polyvinyl alcohol -based products. However, domestic polyvinyl alcohol production facilities were operating at full capacity, leading to supply constraints and upward pressure on prices. Despite this, stable Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM) prices, a key feedstock, offered some relief from major price surges. The market faced uncertainty due to potential supply chain disruptions stemming from geopolitical tensions, specifically the conflict in the Red Sea region, which affected shipping routes and contributed to cost increases in logistics.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Polyvinyl Alcohol is expected to sustain its momentum in the quarters ahead as the support from downstream industries is likely to remain positive.
 

Polyvinyl Alcohol Price Trend for the Q2 of 2024

Asia

China's polyvinyl alcohol market experienced a downturn due to stagnant demand and inventory buildup despite stable pricing by manufacturers throughout the second quarter of 2024. The situation worsened with the onset of the off-season when major consumers like polyester short fibre factories reduced their procurement rates and exerted a negative influence on the market. The overall downturn of the market was further influenced by refinery maintenance in Shandong province, restricted market supply, and exerted downward pressure on raw material costs.

The spandex industry, a significant consumer of PVA, also faced declining sales and capacity expansion challenges, adding to market weakness. Despite a brief surge in buying activity at lower PVA prices towards the end of the quarter, the global economic challenges and geopolitical tensions supported the southward turn of the market.

Europe

Polyvinyl alcohol prices in Europe displayed stability due to consistent feedstock vinyl acetate monomer prices and balanced demand and supply of the commodity. This stability was further supported by the European Central Bank's maintenance of a steady interest rate and improvement in consumer purchasing activities. Despite these stabilizing factors, the market faced several challenges in the second quarter, limiting its growth potential. The rise in the cost of imports of PVA from China was driven by heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly between Iran and Israel, which raised freight charges and insurance premiums.

The ongoing Red Sea crisis continued to disrupt global PVA supply chains, especially affecting Asian markets. Despite efficient domestic production effectively meeting demand, particularly from the construction sector, the textile industry's low demand for PVA and concerns over the potential collapse of textile reuse and recycling in Europe contributed to a pessimistic market outlook in this quarter. Additionally, increased risks associated with regional conflicts and tightening of supply chains further raised concerns about potential future price hikes and logistical challenges.

North America

Polyvinyl alcohol prices in North America adopted a similar stance as was observed in the Asian countries, as the market struggled with the loss of consumer confidence throughout the second quarter of 2024. The major downstream industries, such as textile and construction, reported stagnancy, reflected well in the oscillations in the prices of polyvinyl alcohol. Therefore, despite the consistent domestic production and constrained overseas imports, the market struggled to present substantial demand for the commodity, eventually leading to subdued market dynamics.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Polyvinyl Alcohol is expected to fluctuate, although in a narrow range, in the upcoming months, given the decline in the cost of feedstock commodities and constrained downstream procurement rates.
 

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Price Trend for the Q1 of 2024

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Asia

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) prices were observed to be wavering throughout the first quarter of the year 2024. Market fundamentals were largely stable and behaved a little bit in favor of the PVA prices. The growth in the upstream costs because of the significant incline in the crude oil and energy prices pushed the market rates forward for PVA in the regional Asian markets. OPEC+ announced a cut in its supply output as both Russia and Iraq took a small reduction in their monthly quotas.

This fueled up the production and manufacturing costs for polyvinyl alcohol and pulled the price trend up. The feedstock vinyl acetate prices also had a role to play in this performance of the PVA market. Overall, an optimistic price-performance was observed during Q1’24.

Europe

In the European PVA market, the market sentiments were mixed as the price trend showed significant oscillations during the said time period. The first half of the first quarter was a little more humble compared to the second half. Initially, the inventories were able to support the domestic requirements well, but the consumption was sluggish for a long time since the previous quarters.

Because of low industrial activities in the previous quarters, the demands from the packaging and pharma sectors were dull. So, continuing that the PVA prices fell marginally in the early days of the said quarter. However, as crude oil prices remained heated in the global market, it pushed up the manufacturing costs in the European markets too. As a result, slight upward pressure was felt in the second half of the said quarter.

North America

Driven by the hike in raw material prices and energy costs, the PVA market progression in the USA was almost positive during the first quarter of 2024. Market demands were modest yet consistent and were able to somewhat support the pricing dynamics for the said duration. This created a pulling pressure on the prices for that duration. This stance was complimented by the upsurge in global crude and energy rates. Overall, a moderate market performance was witnessed.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, given the current supply and demand dynamic and the current geopolitical scenarios, the price projections for Polyvinyl Alcohol look optimistic for the coming months.
 

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Price Trend for the October - December of 2023

Asia

Polyvinyl Alcohol or PVA is capaciously utilized in the adhesive, packaging, and pharmaceutical industries because of its high tensile strength with flexibility. The Asian polyvinyl alcohol markets were mostly observed to be stable during the discussed time duration.

Stable supply and demand dynamics led to the borderline stagnancy in the polyvinyl alcohol market prices. Along with the downstream demands, the low swinging production costs also played a critical role in determining polyvinyl alcohol market behavior. Further, the market costs of feedstock polyvinyl acetate also affected the polyvinyl alcohol price graph.

Europe

The European polyvinyl alcohol market was observed to be behaving in a similar manner to its Asian counterpart. The polyvinyl alcohol prices in the European market, too, wavered within a narrow range during the final quarter of the year 2023. The supply chain disturbances caused by the Israel-Hamas war disturbed the upstream dynamics temporarily; however, the wavering demand patterns compensated for the situation.

North America

The North American market trend for polyvinyl alcohol were not much different from the other major global markets. The prices observed confined oscillations here as well, with the low tottering demands guiding the market trend; borderline stagnancy was observed in the American polyvinyl alcohol market.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Polyvinyl Alcohol price trend are anticipated to continue following a similar trajectory in the coming quarter. The market demands don’t project any major changes in the price trend given the current economic scenarios.
 

Polyvinyl Alcohol Price Trend for the July - September of 2023

Asia

The Asian polyvinyl alcohol prices were observed to be running high for the entire period of the third quarter of the year 2023. The primary reason behind these hikes in prices remained the extensive cost pressure from the feedstock vinyl acetate side. Other than this, the downstream polyvinyl acetate and polyvinyl hydroxide industries, too, experienced a surge, which pushed the polyvinyl alcohol price graph further up.

Rising crude oil prices in the region also contributed to the high swinging prices. So, since both upstream and downstream attributes with raw material and market demands worked in favor of the polyvinyl alcohol price trend, the market observed a consistent upliftment and registered rising numbers at the polyvinyl alcohol price index throughout the given time. Overall, positive market sentiments were observed.

Europe

The European polyvinyl alcohol market was rather dull during the given period. The demands from the downstream consuming industries were tepid for most of the period, however, since the suppliers were also conscious of their purchases in the high inflation previous months, the upstream cost pressure was manageable. With some occasional and temporary upward fluctuations, the prices mostly fluctuated in a very narrow range. Overall, moderate market sentiments were observed.

North America

The North American polyvinyl alcohol market almost mimicked the trend from the European market as the prices remained confined in narrow limits here as well. With a gloomy economic situation, very dull market activities were noticed around polyvinyl alcohol.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, Polyvinyl Alcohol prices are likely to remain fluctuating in the coming months as well. Market demands will remain the primary driver for price trend.
 

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Price Trend for the First Half of 2023

Asia

A southward trajectory in the prices of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was observed in the first and second quarters of 2023. The trend suffered from the low demand from the paper, food, and textile industries. Amid slow demand, the stockpiles of the product increased in the region, and as a result, manufacturers were forced to decrease their production rates.

Europe

The price trend of polyvinyl alcohol followed a declining trajectory in the first two quarters of 2023 as the falling feedstock prices failed to provide the PVA market with the required support. Additionally, the rising level of inventories stood as a challenge for traders despite the lowering of production rates. In addition, the influx of cheap imports and weak market dynamics of packaging and paper industries led to the weakening of the market position of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and eventually led to a fall in its prices.

North America

PVA prices registered a downward trend in the US domestic market during the first half of 2023. The prices of feedstock materials declined along with the sufficient level of inventories to suffice the low demand from the downstream sector. Due to this, the producers had to cut their operation rates. Further, the rising interest rates owing to high inflation caused the price trend of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to dive southwards.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) is estimated to showcase a falling trajectory as the demand from the downstream sector and cost support from feedstock materials seems feeble.

Procurement Resource provides latest prices of Polyvinyl Alcohol. Each price database is tied to a user-friendly graphing tool dating back to 2014, which provides a range of functionalities: configuration of price series over user defined time period; comparison of product movements across countries; customisation of price currencies and unit; extraction of price data as excel files to be used offline.