Dwindling Demand and Inflationary Pressures Impact European NBR Prices in August 2023

Hamburg, Germany: The Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) market has been adversely affected by limited demand from the automotive sector and slow economic conditions throughout Europe. In addition, inflationary pressures and escalating challenges in shipping have influenced the prices in the NBR market, causing them to decrease. Inflationary pressures are stifling demand within the automotive sector by eroding their spending capacity. This has reduced consumer willingness to make purchases, causing a dampening effect on the automotive sector's overall demand. As a result, industries reliant on automotive products, like the NBR market, are also experiencing a downturn due to this weakened demand. In order to address these challenges, cost-cutting measures are being implemented, including reducing wages and increasing levels of efficiency. In response to lower returns, certain factory sections and even entire plants are being closed down.

In France, the ChemAnalyst database has shown that the prices of NBR have demonstrated a decrement of approximately USD 110 per ton in the week ending August 25th, compared to the prices observed at the start of this month. The inquiries from the downstream Rubber and Hoses industries did not improve, and as a result, manufacturers have adjusted their NBR quotations. Thus, the production facilities have been operating at reduced rates for the maintenance of the NBR market balance. The market players maintained a negative outlook due to concerns about increasing interest rates, customer hesitancy, and elevated inflation, all of which were dampening NBR demand. On the input energy front, the continent's storage levels achieved a capacity of 90.1%, as reported by Gas Infrastructure Europe, in mid-August. This marks the highest recorded level for this time of year and considerably surpasses the European Union's objective of reaching the same point by November 1st.

On the other hand, the anticipation of delicate production levels has driven manufacturers to reduce their workforce as a strategy to maintain their profit margins. Within the timeframe of 2018 to 2022, employment within the German automotive supply sector declined significantly, dropping from 311,000 to 274,000 employees, marking a loss of 37,000 jobs.

According to the pricing intelligence of ChemAnalyst, the prices of NBR might remain under pressure in the European region. The demand from the downstream automotive sector is also likely to remain uncertain, causing downside risks to the price realizations of NBR. However, As the new week commences, closely observing raw material prices and the strategic moves of pivotal market participants will be crucial in obtaining a comprehensive insight into the NBR market's trajectory.