ICIS - chemical podcasts Episode 1497: Hesitancy, US-Iran war overshadow Europe, Middle East, India PE/PP
Sep 22, 2026
Aswin Kondapally, an ICIS India market specialist, joins Middle East editor Nadim Salamoun and Europe polymer editors Marta Fern and Ben Lake. They unpack how the US-Iran war, stranded Gulf supply and Red Sea disruption are reshaping PE and PP flows. Topics include cautious European buying, firmer polypropylene prices, India’s supply crunch, soaring freight costs and the uncertain outlook for festive demand.
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Converters Freeze Amid Global Uncertainty
- Global uncertainty has made converters hesitant to commit, stock up, or reduce purchases.
- Ben Lake says participants are keeping decisions simple until market direction becomes clearer.
Middle Eastern Polymer Exports Become Stranded
- Middle Eastern polymer exporters are increasingly stranded by conflict-related logistics barriers.
- Nadim Salamoun describes a region built to export polymers but struggling to reach distant markets.
Gulf Prices Rise While Demand Stalls
- Gulf PP and PE prices rose steadily as crude, feedstock, and uncertainty increased.
- Demand has not matched higher prices, forcing some converters to cut operating rates or stop production.