Is the Cost Real? Why September PE Stuck and How to Read October's Letters | Resin Market Moves

September's PE increase stuck in a soft market. Here's how to sort October's resin letters by their reason before you answer them. Last week, Resin Market Moves said September's polyethylene increase had stalled. It didn't. Five cents went through, even with comfortable supply, soft domestic demand and building inventories. Michael Workman opens by owning that call. The increase took three things: producer discipline, an export outlet for extra volume, and enough buyers who said yes. Two of those are out of your control. The third isn't. From there, he sorts October's letters by their reason: - **Polyethylene:** 7¢/lb on the table with ethylene flat and supply healthy. It's a push, so negotiate it, and don't commit forward volume at announced prices. - **Polypropylene:** September settled 2¢ lower, but Lake Charles is down into November and two more producers expect outages. Confirm the decrease reached your invoice and build modest coverage before November. - **Polystyrene and nylon:** The October benzene contract settled 70¢ higher while spot came off its highs. Pay the real feedstock share and challenge everything above it. - **ABS, PC, PVC and PET:** No letters, or none that should stick. Don't volunteer, and hold firm. He closes with three questions for any increase letter: Is the cost real? Has supply tightened? What happens if I say no? **Chapter markers**  00:00 We got September PE wrong  00:31 Why the increase stuck  00:59 Two questions before you answer a letter  01:30 Polyethylene  02:23 Polypropylene  03:03 The benzene chain: PS and nylon  03:52 ABS, PC, PVC and PET  04:30 What happens if you say no? **Links:** → Request Your Benchmark Assessment → Read this week's newsletter → Watch on YouTube