# Polystyrene and EPS: Trading

No PS futures, so traders watch styrene

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/trading/

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 news](https://www.chemorbis.com/en/plastics-news)freemium research site · ChemOrbis

Weekly Asian, Indian and Turkish polymer prices and sentiment
[Polymerupdate](https://www.polymerupdate.com)freemium research site · Polymerupdate (Mumbai)

Daily CFR South Asia polymer assessments and Reliance/IOCL list price changes
[Argus market opinion and analysis blog](https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/market-opinion-and-analysis-blog/polyolefins-market-outlook-pe-pp-trends)free blog · Argus Media

Polyolefin capacity waves, operating rates and closures
[Packaging Insights](https://www.packaginginsights.com)free newsletter · CNS Media

Packaging regulation, EPR and recycled-content news including India
[Offshore Technology (GlobalData analyst comment)](https://www.offshore-technology.com/analyst-comment/global-eps-capacity/)free research site · GlobalData

Petrochemical capacity outlooks, including EPS

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/cycles/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/polystyrene/links/index.md)