据普氏能源咨询新加坡11月15日消息，受需求疲软和库存上升等基本面因素继续低迷的影响，亚洲苯乙烯单体（SM）周三跌至1031美元/吨（CFR中国），创下过去18个月的最低水平。
标准普尔全球普氏能源咨询公司的数据显示，上一次的低点出现在2017年5月12日，当时的价格为1025美元/吨。
下游市场需求疲弱和中国东部地区库存增加，都给亚洲SM市场带来了下行压力。
据市场消息人士称，截至周三，中国东部地区SM库存增加至7.03万吨，环比上周增加1.58万吨，增幅达到29%。
此外，美中之间不断升级的贸易紧张关系已经导致市场出现了巨大的不确定性，从而限制了SM价格。
亚洲一家SM生产商周三表示：“苯乙烯的下降趋势和波动看起来将比之前预期的持续时间更长。即使价格反弹，复苏也是有限的。”
下游聚苯乙烯（PS）和丙烯腈-丁二烯-苯乙烯共聚物（ABS）生产商表示，市场购买兴趣不大，因为在苯乙烯原料市场前景黯淡和波动性加大的情况下，终端用户不愿保留库存。
当亚洲市场SM价格在10月份开始下滑时，市场人士就指出，他们一直在等待SM价格从1400美元/吨的水平回落。但由于SM价格的下跌持续了很长一段时间，这抑制了终端用户的总体信心水平。
张春晓 摘译自 PLATTS
原文如下：
Asian styrene monomer falls to 18-month low as fundamentals weaken
Asian styrene monomer fell to an 18-month low of $1,031/mt CFR China Wednesday, with fundamentals continuing to weaken from a combination of low demand and rising inventories.
The marker was last assessed lower at $1,025/mt Weak demand from the downstream markets, rising inventories in East China, have all lent downward pressure to the SM market.
Stocks in East China had swelled 29%, or 15,800 mt, week Adding to this, escalating trade tensions between the US and China had caused huge uncertainties in the market -- capping SM prices.
"The downward trend and volatility in styrene look like it will persist longer than previously expected. Recovery is limited even if there is a rebound in prices," an Asian producer said Wednesday.
Downstream polystyrene and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene producers said buying interest is minimal as end-users are reluctant to keep inventories amid the gloomy outlook and volatility in feedstock styrene.
When prices started sliding in October, market sources noted it was a correction from the $1,400s/mt level they have been waiting for. But with the fall in SM prices extended over a prolonged period, this dampened overall confidence level among end-users.
