The recovered paper markets in Italy and the UK took noticeably different paths in October. In Italy, activity was subdued but largely balanced: domestic demand remained weak, yet stable export business, especially to Asia, helped absorb available volumes and limited downward pressure on prices.
Low collection volumes and the seasonal slowdown in consumption contributed to a largely steady market environment. The Italian market is still described as “quiet but stable", and now face a cautious outlook for November amid persistently weak global paper demand.
On the British market, by contrast, sentiment turned markedly weaker after China tightened its import rules for dry recycled pulp. The sudden inspections and temporary import halt in Chinese ports disrupted trade flows and triggered renewed pressure on export prices for bulk grades. Experts expect that the full impact on UK recovered paper prices will only be seen in November transactions, as most deals for October had already been done when the new Chinese import rules were published.
Subscribers can access the full monthly reports on the recovered paper market in Italy and in the UK along with price charts and graphing tools here:
