Special Reports

The global olefins/polymers market will continue to face challenges in H1 2021. Fresh supplies will be available in Asia in line with planned capacity expansions, while bullish naphtha feedstock prices put pressure on petrochemical margins. Petrochemical demand started recovering in H2 2020, but the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic lingers. S&P Global Platts examines the outlook for the global olefins/polymers markets for the first half of this year.

The global petrochemical industry finished 2020 on a strong note, despite having been pressured lower by the COVID-19 pandemic and a weaker energy complex. The end of the year saw prices beginning to recover and bullish sentiment in the market. Concerns around capacity growth and associated product length still persist, however. S&P Global Platts examines market expectations for the global aromatics sector during the first half of 2021.

The repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic continue to be felt across the petrochemicals industry, with the global economy facing greater uncertainty than at any time in living memory. As the industry moves into H2 2020, renewed lockdowns, prolonged recessions and the ongoing pandemic present a bleak general outlook. However, the detailed picture is far from clear-cut across the various different petrochemical markets.

Global petrochemical markets are entering a new decade with vast opportunities as well as challenges ahead. In this special report, S&P Global Platts takes a closer look at what to expect in the first half of 2020 – narrowing petrochemical margins on high naphtha and shipping costs, as well as changing trade flows amid trade tensions between nations and China's drive towards self-sufficiency.