In May, the OPEC Reference Basket (ORB) increased by about 8.5% above the previous month, settling at $74.11/b. Year-to-date in May, the ORB value was 31.7% higher at $67.48/b, compared to the same period in 2017. In comparison, Dated Brent rose by 7.4%, Dubai by 8.7% and spot WTI by 5.4%, m-o-m. The oil market continues to be underpinned by escalating geopolitical tensions and bullish drawdowns in US crude inventories. However, late in the month, prices slipped on talk of a potential easing of output adjustments. With regard to crude oil futures, ICE Brent was $5.24/b, or 7.3%, higher at $77.01/b, while NYMEX WTI gained $3.66, or 5.5%, to average $69.98/b m-o-m. Y-t-d, ICE Brent is 30.6% higher at $70.22/b, while NYMEX WTI rose 27.7% to $65.09/b, compared to the same period a year earlier. The ICE Brent/NYMEX WTI spread widened by $1.59 to $7.02/b in May, on increasing US supplies. Despite the surge in crude oil futures prices, speculative net long positions ended lower. The Dubai market structure moved deeper into backwardation, while that of Brent eased markedly and WTI remained unchanged. The sweet/sour differentials narrowed in Europe and Asia, while in the US Gulf Coast (USGC), the spread widened.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 2: EXECUTIVE SUMMERY

CHAPTER 3: MARKET OVERVIEW

CHAPTER 4: PP & PP COMPOSITES MARKET FOR INJECTION MOLDING, BY PRODUCT

CHAPTER 5: PP & PP COMPOSITES MARKET FOR INJECTION MOLDING, BY FIBER TYPE

CHAPTER 6: PP & PP COMPOSITES MARKET FOR INJECTION MOLDING, BY APPLICATION

CHAPTER 7: PP & PP COMPOSITES MARKET FOR INJECTION MOLDING, BY REGION

CHAPTER 8: COMPANY PROFILES