HDPE export prices in the United States continued their downward trend this week, weighed down by sluggish demand and a persistent supply glut.
An industry source told a Polymerduniya team member that spot export prices for HDPE fell further as market pressures intensified. “Consistently low demand and abundant supply, not only in the US but also in global polyethylene markets, became more apparent in August. Sellers had to implement aggressive pricing tactics since previous offer levels were considered unfeasible, with buyers resisting in the face of widespread oversupply. Market responses indicated that certain newly modified pricing tiers provided minimal to no profit margin for producers, highlighting the intensity of the competitive landscape,” the source explained.
The weakness was evident across multiple HDPE grades. HDPE film export prices were assessed at USD 840–860/mt FAS Houston, down USD 20/mt from last week. HDPE injection prices fell even further, assessed at USD 805–825/mt FAS Houston, marking a USD 25/mt decline. By contrast, HDPE blow moulding prices remained unchanged at USD 820–840/mt FAS Houston.
Upstream markets mirrored the softness. Spot ethylene prices on Thursday were assessed at 22.00–22.50 cents/lb FOB US Gulf, down by 1 cent/lb from the previous week. However, the US ethylene contract price for July 2025 settled higher at 32.25 cents/lb, a gain of 1.50 cents/lb over June 2025 levels.
