War Premium in Your Resin Bill: Separating Fact from Narrative (Week of March 13)

This week, crude oil spiked to a 4-year high near $120/barrel following military action in the Middle East and threats to the Strait of Hormuz. Resin producers across PE, PP, PS, PVC, PET, and engineering resins are pushing price increases — but what does the supply/demand data actually say?In this episode, Michael Workman breaks down data across nine major resin families, explaining where the upward pressure is real, where it's narrative, and what procurement teams should be doing right now to protect their margins.Topics covered:PE: 10¢/lb increase push vs. healthy 38-day inventoriesPP: Feedstock-driven pricing — not demandPVC: Legitimate two-sided squeeze (turnarounds + logistics)Engineering resins: Cost pressure without pricing powerPET: World Cup demand catalyst aheadHow geopolitics actually move resin markets (3 key levers)Tags: , , , , , , , , , .