據石化新聞2020年9月18日休斯敦報道，今年4月份，當疫情大流行導致的停產和經濟沖擊席卷全球大部分地區時，建筑材料聚氯乙烯（PVC）的需求降至2008年全球金融危機以來的最低水平。

房屋建設活動斷斷續續。PVC買家退縮，而PVC賣家追逐不斷萎縮的需求，但往往徒勞無功。5個月以后，這是一幅完全不同的畫面。美國和歐洲連續數個月的PVC價格下調、需求復蘇，以及部分不可抗力，已將PVC價格推至多年高位。在供應嚴重緊張的情況下，買家希望能夠獲得用于制造管道、窗框、乙烯基壁板和其他產品的PVC原料。

一位美國市場消息人士表示：“目前市場上真的沒有任何PVC產品?！薄坝猩僭S來自亞洲。但價格很高。人們如今是在口袋里而不是到處買PVC產品?！?/span>

美國PVC出口價格在6周內下跌了39%，在4月29日休斯敦PVC廠關閉的高峰期跌至12年來的最低點520美元/噸。由于停產緩解，PVC價格在5月份開始反彈，到8月份達到了800美元/噸的船邊交貨價格。

隨后，美國4家PVC生產商中的兩家在8月中下旬宣布PVC受到不可抗力的影響。4月份之后，由于轉場或對需求改善能否持續感到擔憂，沒有一家PVC生產商的價格完全恢復正常。到9月16日，PVC價格已經從4月29日的低點翻了一番，達到了1050美元/噸的9年來高點。

李峻 編譯自 石化新聞

原文如下：

Tight global PVC supply pushes prices to multi-year highs

When coronavirus pandemic-related shutdowns and economic shocks gripped much of the world in April, demand for construction staple polyvinyl chloride careened to lows not seen since the global financial crash in 2008.

Home construction activity cratered. PVC buyers recoiled and sellers chased shrinking pockets of demand, often in vain.

Five months later, it's a starkly different picture. Months of reduced rates, demand recovery and some force majeures on PVC in the US and Europe have pushed prices to multi-year highs. Buyers want the powder that makes pipes, window frames, vinyl siding and other products amid an acute supply squeeze.

"At this moment there's really no product in the market," a US market source said."There's a little coming from Asia. Prices are high. People are buying, in pockets, not everywhere."

US export PVC prices fell 39% in six weeks to a 12-year low of $520/mt FAS Houston on April 29 at the height of the shutdowns. Prices began rebounding in May as shutdowns eased, reaching $800/mt FAS by August.

Then Formosa Plastics USA and Westlake Chemical, two of the four US producers, declared force majeure on PVC in mid and late August. None had resumed fully normal rates post-April amid turnarounds or skittishness about whether improved demand would be sustained. By Sept. 16, prices had doubled from that April 29 low to $1,050/mt FAS, a nine-year high.