U.S. Dollar Index Drops to Near 4-Year Low; Malaysia Launches Vehicle Scrappage Scheme; Milliken to Unveil New Products at Exhibition

International News Highlights

Raw Material News - Ineos Launches RecycI-IN Polymer with 70% Recycled Content to Boost Sustainability in Cosmetic Packaging

Automotive News - Malaysia 2026 Budget: Introduces Old Vehicle Scrappage Incentive Scheme

Packaging News - "Misleading" Recycled Plastic Packaging Claims Flood European Supermarket Shelves

Construction News - Plastics Industry Confronts Multiple Challenges in 2026 Construction Market

Medical News - Rosti Builds Two New ISO 8 Cleanrooms in the U.S. to Expand Medical & Life Sciences Plastic Parts Production

Exhibition News - Milliken to Showcase Solutions Enhancing Polymer Performance & Efficiency at Plastics India 2026

Macro News - U.S. Dollar Index Falls to Near 4-Year Low

Price Information - RMB/USD Central Parity Up 103 Pips to 6.9755, Highest Since May 2023 with Largest Gain Since August

International News Details

1. Ineos Launches RecycI-IN Polymer with 70% Recycled Content to Boost Sustainability in Cosmetic Packaging

Ineos has introduced a new RecycI-IN polymer grade named rPP1025C, which contains 70% recycled content and delivers high-performance, compliant and low-carbon solutions for the cosmetic packaging sector.

Ineos Olefins & Polymers Europe announced the addition of this new grade to its RecycI-IN product portfolio, demonstrating the company’s firm commitment to driving sustainability in the plastics and packaging industries. Specially developed to meet the stringent requirements of sensitive-contact cosmetic packaging, this new RecycI-IN compound polymer features 70% recycled material.

Ineos aims to enable brands to increase the recycled content of their packaging without compromising product quality, performance or aesthetic appeal through this innovative offering.

2. Milliken to Showcase Solutions Enhancing Polymer Performance & Efficiency at Plastics India 2026

Milliken will participate in Plastics India 2026, to be held in New Delhi, India from February 5 to 10, presenting a full range of advanced polymer innovation solutions tailored to the evolving market demands of the plastics industry.

At this edition of the exhibition, Milliken will launch several innovative products, including next-generation technological achievements in polymer performance enhancement, empowering the future development of the plastics industry with innovative strength.

3. Rosti Builds Two New ISO 8 Cleanrooms in the U.S. to Expand Medical & Life Sciences Plastic Parts Production

Sweden-based Rosti, a globally renowned plastic injection molding and manufacturing services provider, announces the construction of two new ISO 8 cleanrooms at its production facilities in Germantown, Wisconsin and Clearfield, Utah, United States.

In a press release, the company stated that this investment will further expand the Rosti Group’s medical products manufacturing footprint in North America, while underscoring its commitment to providing customers with a high-precision, regulatory-compliant standardized production environment.

4. "Misleading" Recycled Plastic Packaging Claims Flood European Supermarket Shelves

Across European supermarket shelves, numerous brands market their plastic packaging as sustainable, yet in reality, only a small fraction of these packaging materials is genuinely derived from recycled waste, with the majority still produced from fossil fuels.

Products ranging from Heinz Baked Beans under Kraft Foods to Philadelphia Cream Cheese from Mondelēz International use plastic packaging manufactured by the plastics division of Saudi Aramco.

State-owned Saudi Aramco, one of the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters (with emissions exceeding 70 million metric tons as of 2023), opposes production reduction measures under the UN Plastic Treaty. Its petrochemical subsidiary, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), along with other industry giants, has successfully rebranded harmful operations as “planet-saving”.

Plastics are labeled as “circular” and climate-friendly, yet they are almost entirely fossil-based, exacerbating global warming and the global plastic crisis.

5. Plastics Industry Confronts Multiple Challenges in 2026 Construction Market

Dr. Perc Pineda, Chief Economist at the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) of the United States, has released an economic analysis report that combines the latest U.S. GDP data to assess its impact on construction sector activity and plastics demand, outlining the industry outlook for 2026.

In his analysis, Dr. Pineda wrote: “The latest revision to U.S. third-quarter GDP data confirms economic resilience, with output growing at a robust annual rate of 4.4%.”

However, the construction sector—a key end-market for plastics manufacturers—faces a challenging outlook. Investment in non-residential construction, including commercial buildings, industrial facilities and data centers, has contracted for seven consecutive quarters. Residential construction investment has performed slightly better, but only posted positive growth in two of the past seven quarters.

Dr. Pineda noted: “Both categories of construction investment are unlikely to have returned to growth in the fourth quarter, making the 2026 market outlook critical for plastics suppliers serving construction-related sectors.”

The prolonged weakness in construction investment directly impacts plastics manufacturers. According to the 2025 Size & Impact of the U.S. Plastics Industry Report, 2.3 cents of every dollar invested in single-family residential construction goes toward plastic products.

In 2024, the plastics market for single-family residential construction reached $10.1 billion, while other residential construction accounted for $9.4 billion, and commercial construction including farm buildings represented $6.9 billion.

6. Malaysia 2026 Budget: Introduces Old Vehicle Scrappage Incentive Scheme

Foreign media report that during the tabling of the 2026 federal budget, Malaysian Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the Malaysian government, in collaboration with local automakers, will launch a matching scrappage incentive scheme for vehicles older than 20 years.

Under the scheme, eligible vehicle owners will receive a cash subsidy jointly provided by automakers and the government upon scrapping their old vehicles. The government’s contribution will be up to 4,000 Malaysian Ringgit, matched equally by the amount offered by the automaker.

7. Rare Collaboration: Medtronic & Mindray Target U.S. Ambulatory Care Market

Recently, Medtronic and Mindray announced an expansion of their strategic partnership in patient monitoring technology from hospitals to Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) in the United States, further reflecting their shared commitment to supporting clinicians and patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings across the U.S.

The alliance simplifies access and integration of the two companies’ advanced monitoring solutions, which is expected to help reduce costs, improve clinical outcomes and elevate the standard of patient care, according to both parties.

Overseas Macro Market

U.S. Dollar Index Falls to Near 4-Year Low

Driven by multiple expectations prompting investors to sell the U.S. dollar, the U.S. Dollar Index continued its downward trend on January 27, plunging to a nearly four-year low in late trading.

The index, which measures the greenback against six major currencies, fell 0.84% on the day to close at 96.219 in late forex trading. It later declined further to 95.55, hitting its lowest level since mid-February 2022.

The euro, the largest component of the dollar index, rose above the 1.20 mark against the U.S. dollar for the first time since 2021.

Karl Schamotta, Chief Market Strategist at Cambridge Global Payments, stated that persistent U.S. tariff policies and the renewed risk of a government shutdown have significantly increased economic policy uncertainty, leading to the continued decline of the U.S. Dollar Index.

Tesla Sales in Europe Continue to Cool Down

Data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) on January 27 show that U.S. electric vehicle brand Tesla registered 238,656 new vehicles across Europe in 2025, a year-on-year decrease of 26.9%.

The association’s statistics cover the European Union, as well as the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Within the EU alone, Tesla’s new vehicle registrations fell 37.9% year-on-year in 2025, with its market share dropping from 2.3% in 2024 to 1.4%.

U.S. Media: ICE Agent Attempts to Enter Ecuadorian Consulate; Ecuador Submits Protest Note

According to reports from media including The New York Times, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador issued a statement on January 27 local time stating that an agent from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attempted to enter the Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis that day, but was stopped by consular staff.

The statement added that Ecuador has submitted a protest note to the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

Venezuela Acting President: Sanction-Frozen Funds Being Unfrozen

Venezuela’s Acting President Rodríguez stated on January 27 local time that 部分 Venezuelan funds frozen due to U.S. sanctions are being unfrozen and will be allocated to social investment programs.

Puerto Rico Declares State of Emergency Over Flu Outbreak

On January 27 local time, Puerto Rico Governor González signed an executive order declaring a statewide state of emergency in response to a flu outbreak, activating special measures to protect public health.

According to a government statement, under the state of emergency, the government will mobilize and coordinate resources, and authorize the Minister of Health as the lead authority to direct, coordinate and implement emergency response measures to safeguard public health.

Trump: U.S. to Halt Aid to Iraq if al-Maliki Elected Prime Minister

U.S. President Donald Trump stated in a social media post on January 27 that the United States will cease providing aid to Iraq if former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is re-elected as prime minister.

Trump described the reappointment of al-Maliki as a “terrible choice” for Iraq, stating that the U.S. “will no longer help Iraq” if he is elected, citing al-Maliki’s “policies and ideology”.

Iranian Official: Real-Time Monitoring Implemented Over Strait of Hormuz

On January 27, Mohammad Akbarzadeh, a senior naval commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated that Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz has moved beyond traditional methods to full intelligentization.

Iran has established real-time monitoring of all maritime, surface and underwater activities. The passage of vessels flying various national flags through the strait is entirely under Iran’s control, and the security of this strategic waterway depends on decisions made in Tehran.

Source: Signing Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal a Precondition for U.S. Security Guarantees to Ukraine

On January 27, a source familiar with the matter stated that the United States has informed Ukraine that it will only receive U.S. security guarantees after signing a peace agreement with Russia.

Price Information

RMB/USD Central Parity Up 103 Pips to 6.9755, Highest Since May 2023 with Largest Gain Since August

The RMB/USD central parity rate was set at 6.9755, up 103 pips from the previous trading day.

The prior day’s central parity was 6.9858, the official closing price was 6.9576, and the overnight offshore close stood at 6.9545.

Upstream Raw Material USD Market Prices

CFR Northeast Asia: 700 USD per tonne; CFR Southeast Asia: 685 USD per tonne.

Northeast Asia propylene: FOB Korea average 770 USD per tonne; CFR China average 825 USD per tonne.

North Asia refrigerated cargo CIF: propane 583–586 USD per tonne; butane 603–606 USD per tonne.

South China refrigerated cargo CIF (late February arrival): propane 613–623 USD per tonne; butane 608–618 USD per tonne.

Taiwan refrigerated cargo CIF: propane 583–586 USD per tonne; butane 603–606 USD per tonne.

LLDPE USD Market Prices

Film grade: 815 USD per tonne (CFR Xiamen);

Injection molding grade: 910 USD per tonne (CFR Xiamen).

HDPE USD Market Prices

Film grade: 900 USD per tonne (CFR Huangpu);

Injection molding grade: 800 USD per tonne (CFR Huangpu);

Blow molding grade: 795–850 USD per tonne (CFR Huangpu);

Pipe grade: 1000 USD per tonne (CFR Huangpu).

LDPE USD Market Prices

Film grade: 1015 USD per tonne (CFR Huangpu);

Coating grade: 1240 USD per tonne (CFR Huangpu).

PP USD Market Prices

Injection molding grade: 810 USD per tonne (CFR Dongguan);

Copolymer grade: 870 USD per tonne (CFR Nansha);

Film grade: 960 USD per tonne (CFR Huangpu);

Transparent grade: 1100 USD per tonne (CFR Huangpu);

Pipe grade: 1120 USD per tonne (CFR Shanghai).