据ICIS网站2月2日消息 与往年不同，2021年农历新年后的化工市场将在中国这个世界第二大经济体以及庆祝春节的亚洲其他地区有着独特的不同。
随着新冠疫情的继续蔓延，今年仍将采取2020年的管控措施，因为到位疫苗的内在差异和全球接种正以不同的速度和速率推出。
问题在于，亚洲塑料需求复苏的程度仍有待观察，因为企业复苏的前景要早于过去几年，当时中国的工厂在假日期间关闭了两到四周。
ICIS高级分析师AmyYu表示：“中国大部分中小型塑料加工商将在2月26日后逐步恢复运营。由于一些工人今年将不回家乡，需求可能比往年更早恢复。今年的用工荒可能并不严重。”
这种在农历新年后比往年更快恢复业务的新趋势，将对中国经济（制造业已经连续11个月扩张）以及整个亚洲塑料需求带来福音。
ICIS高级分析师Rhian O’Connor表示：“去年中国的许多需求来自出口，尤其是口罩、笔记本电脑和在家工作的屏幕等用品。 随着欧洲和其他西方国家采取滚动封锁措施，部分需求可能会在今年继续。”
Rhian O’Connor 补充说：“购物模式已经转变，网购越来越多，这在未来不大可能改变。这有利于包装聚合物，如收缩和拉伸包装膜，以及更耐用的货物，如电子聚合物。”
王磊 摘译自 ICIS
原文如下：
Asian chemical demand sentiment mixed post-Lunar New Year
Unlike previous years, post-Lunar New Year chemical markets in 2021 will be uniquely different in China - the world's number-two economy - as well as in other parts of Asia where the holiday is celebrated.
This year will be adopting the playbook of the unprecedented 2020 as the pandemic continues to rage on, with the visceral difference of having vaccines in place and global inoculation is being rolled out at different pace and rate.
At issue, the extent of plastics demand recovery in Asia remains to be seen on prospects of businesses resuming earlier than past years, when factories shut for two to four weeks during the holiday in China.
"Most of small and medium plastic processors in China will gradually resume operations after 26 February. Demand may recover earlier than usual as some workers will not go back to their hometown this year. The labor shortage might not be serious this year," said ICIS senior analyst Amy Yu.
This novel trend to resume businesses faster than previous years after the Lunar New Year will be a boon to the Chinese economy, with manufacturing having already expanded for 11 consecutive months, and to Asian plastics demand at large.
"A lot of China’s demand last year came from exports, particularly pandemic supplies like masks, laptops and screens for working at home. Some of this demand is likely to continue this year with rolling lockdown measures across Europe and other Western countries," said ICIS senior analyst Rhian O’Connor.
"Shopping patterns have shifted, with more online purchases and this is unlikely to change in the future. This benefits packaging polymers like shrink and stretch wrap film, as well as more durable goods like polymers for electronics," O'Connor added.
