Polystyrene and EPS: Trading
No PS futures, so traders watch styrene
What this tab covers How it is bought and sold: buyers and sellers, price benchmarks and who publishes them, exchanges, contract types, traders, how Indian buyers price it, recent price points, and good sources to follow.Who buys, and where
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- China
- Thailand and Malaysia
- Middle East (styrene feed)
Who sells, and from where
- India
- Southeast Asia
- Turkey
- Middle East and Africa
Price benchmarks
| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| GPPS and HIPS CFR China / Southeast Asia | ICIS, ChemOrbis | spot, weekly |
| Styrene CFR China and FOB Korea | S&P Global Platts, ICIS | spot, daily |
| NWE PS and EPS contract | ICIS | monthly contract |
Exchanges
| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dalian Commodity Exchange | Styrene monomer futures (indicative) | no liquid PS futures; styrene futures used as a proxy |
Contract types
- Monthly contracts linked to styrene in Europe and the US
- Spot import deals in containers
- Indian producer list prices revised with styrene
Traders and distributors
- Mitsui
- Mitsubishi Corporation
- Marubeni
- Itochu
- Vinmar
How Indian buyers price it
- Indian PS and EPS makers buy styrene at CFR India against Asian markers and set domestic list prices on styrene plus conversion (styrene tile, indicative).
- Imported GPPS and HIPS from Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia set the ceiling; no current Indian trade remedy on PS confirmed in sources reviewed.
Recent price points
| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Nov 2023 | $990.50/t (styrene) | FOB ARA | Platts via Chemical Week (styrene tile) |
| 2 Mar 2026 | $1,030/t (styrene) | Asia | S&P Global Platts (styrene tile) |
Good sources to follow
ChemOrbis plastics newsfreemium research site · ChemOrbisWeekly Asian, Indian and Turkish polymer prices and sentiment
Polymerupdatefreemium research site · Polymerupdate (Mumbai)Daily CFR South Asia polymer assessments and Reliance/IOCL list price changes
Argus market opinion and analysis blogfree blog · Argus MediaPolyolefin capacity waves, operating rates and closures
Packaging Insightsfree newsletter · CNS MediaPackaging regulation, EPR and recycled-content news including India
Offshore Technology (GlobalData analyst comment)free research site · GlobalDataPetrochemical capacity outlooks, including EPS