Last week, negotiations began on the prices of European polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for supplies in April to the markets of the CIS countries. In the face of rising ethylene costs and the upcoming planned stoppages, European producers have gone to increase export prices this month, according to the ICIS-MRC Price Review.

The April contract price of ethylene was agreed at EUR10 per tonne above the level of March, which leads to an increase in the cost of PVC production by about EUR5 per ton. Thus, European manufacturers announced an increase in export prices for supplies to CIS markets at EUR5-10 per ton.

Demand for PVC by major consumers is still quite low due to a protracted winter, while European producers do not step up their sales in this direction in recent months. Ahead of a series of preventive stops of capacities, some manufacturers deliberately limit their exports to the markets of the CIS countries.

Negotiations on the April supplies of suspended PVC (PVC-C) for the CIS markets were conducted in the range EUR755-815 per tonne, FCA, whereas the month before deals were concluded in the range EUR750-805 per tonne, FCA.