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As reported in Townsend’s EVA Market Intelligence Monthly, China’s EVA market moved in a choppy “firm-then-soften-then-stabilize” pattern in January, with the price center edging up from December even though momentum proved fragile. Early-month indications firmed on pre-holiday restocking and a policy-driven sentiment boost from the photovoltaic (PV) chain, but the rebound struggled to extend once buying tapered. As incremental domestic supply became more visible and profit-taking emerged, spot discussions eased back before settling into a tighter, range-bound consolidation toward late January as the market digested new policy signals and near-term supply/demand temporarily rebalanced.

Townsend’s Plastic Market Monthly Polystyrene benchmark saw US Polystyrene (PS) contracts for many buyers increasing by as much as 3.0 cents-per-pound (cpp) for a second consecutive month, fueled by a slight uptick in demand and modest increases in feedstocks benzene and styrene.

SABIC’s recent divestments in Europe and the Americas were not unexpected, given the high cost of production in Europe and persistent global oversupply. What is encouraging, however, is that these assets are being divested rather than permanently shut down, preserving optionality for employees, customers, and regional supply chains.

The European Parliament’s decision to put both the EU–US and EU–Mercosur trade deals on ice marks another moment of strategic uncertainty for global trade with real consequences for chemicals, plastics, and energy-intensive industries.

Central & Eastern Europe (CEE) plays a critical role in Europe’s polymer value chain. The region remains structurally import-dependent, highly sensitive to geopolitics and logistics, and increasingly exposed to sanctions risk and supply-security concerns. Against this backdrop, the planned acquisition of Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) by MOL Group carries implications that go well beyond fuels and refining.

Simone de Faria highlights that Venezuela’s potential political transition could open opportunities across the Americas’ petrochemical sector, but new complexes there are unlikely soon due to devastated infrastructure and the long road to legal and institutional stability.