The short version
Volume resins are flat to softer heading into the fourth quarter: plenty of supply, cautious buyers, no rush to stock up. In engineering resins, polycarbonate is the firm one, nylon is rising on costs, not demand, and ABS and PBT are soft. The things that could change that quickly are energy prices, the end of hurricane season and tariffs.
Where each resin is heading
| Resin | Direction | Why | What it means for your next order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyethylene (PE) | Flat to slightly down | Comfortable inventories, record production, weak exports. September increases found little support. | Buy as needed. No reason to build inventory, and 2027 contract talks start with buyers in a good spot. |
| Polypropylene (PP) | Down | Following propylene monomer lower. Real demand growth is only about 2–3%. | Another small decrease is possible unless a plant goes down. Commodity PP is soft; engineering PP grades edged up. |
| Polystyrene (PS) | Up, then Flat | August jumped on a benzene spike. A smaller September increase, then flat into October as benzene is well supplied. | The worst of the increase is behind us. Expect PS to settle. |
| PVC | Flat to down | Inventories built three months running. Low-priced imports limit exports. | A buyer’s market unless weather disrupts supply. |
| PET | Flat to slightly down | Lower raw material costs, soft demand and well-priced imports. | Expect small decreases, then flat. |
| ABS | Down | Lower benzene, imports and demand a few percent below 2025. | Most of the second-quarter increase is coming back off. |
| Polycarbonate (PC) | Flat to firm | The strongest engineering resin: electronics, medical, data centers and hybrid vehicles. | PC is unlikely to get cheaper this year. Plan ahead on large buys. |
| Nylon 6 and 66 | Up, partly | Feedstock costs and fewer producers are pushing increases, even though supply is ample and auto demand is weak. | Only part of the announced increases is expected to stick. Supply is not the problem; cost is. |
| PBT | Flat | One of the weakest markets in North America, with little auto buying. | A buyer’s market. Good time to qualify a second source or look at surplus. |
Direction is for North American contract and spot markets. We do not publish prices. Ask us for a quote on your grade.
What to watch
- Energy and freight. In late August, diesel hit its highest level since the Middle East conflict began in March, which feeds straight into truck surcharges. Crude and feedstock costs are the main reason prices are not falling faster.
- Hurricane season. Gulf Coast plants make most U.S. polyethylene, polypropylene and PVC. A storm is the fastest way for a soft market to turn tight.
- Tariffs. Raw resin trade is not much affected so far, but tariffs on finished plastic goods are hitting some molders’ orders. Imported molds and machinery are also costing more.
- Manufacturing demand. U.S. manufacturing activity picked up over the summer, but auto, housing and appliance demand for resin is still soft.
What we would do now
- Commodity resins: buy on need. The market is not tight, and buyers have the upper hand.
- Nylon and polycarbonate: line up your next few months of supply and know your backup grade. Costs are pushing up even with supply available.
- PBT, ABS and glass-filled polyesters: a good time to qualify a second source, or take a look at the surplus PBT/PET lot.
Get the resin market note by email
One short email a month: which resins are moving, why, and what it means for your next order. No prices, no spam.
Unsubscribe anytime with one reply.Sources
Compiled from published North American market reports, including Plastics Technology’s October 2026 resin price outlook (Sept. 25, 2026), industry market commentary and U.S. Energy Information Administration diesel data. This note is general market information, not a forecast or a price offer.