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• PET prices see boost with Asia
• Post-consumer bottle bale prices stable

US PET prices moved slightly higer Wednesday amid thin domestic trading and stronger Asian markets.

Import PET was assessed at $867/mt, or about 39.30 cents/lb, up $10/mt from the previous week. Spot prices in Asia were also $10/mt higher, based on stronger export activity.

As more bottle-grade PET was heard exported to the US, the movment has put some pressure on post-consumer bottle bales in the recycled polymers market.

Prices were steady this week, at 17 cents/lb in Los Angeles for premium-grade material, and 8 cents/lb for material collected curbside this week. However, sources have said that cheap virgin PET material may be displacing recycyled material, as some end-users were heard to be locking in contracts for virgin material.

Spot post-consumer bottle bale prices for both premium-grade and curbside material in the Los Angeles area were assessed at 17 cents/lb and 8 cents/lb, respectively, unchanged, based on last-received market indications.

Chicago post-consumer bales, sourced from curbside collection, were assessed at 8 cents/lb, also unchanged, based on most-recent market indications.

This rationale applies to symbols <APCLA00>, <APCLB00> and <APCCH00>.