Volumes are strongly improving in Asia, with demand outside China stronger than expected. Prices are still increasing. The Q1 production data for China shows acrylic down 15% on last year. In the USA and Europe markets remain subdued.	1 May 2008
	Asian textile markets are unusually quiet, well past the point when some seasonal upturn should have been seen. And textile filament prices have slipped in some cases by 3-5 cents in spite of tighter margins. With industrial filament however the position is rather easier and some suppliers have moved prices forward. Notwithstanding the market situation, Chinese production of nylon fibres for Q1 is up 13% on last year. In the USA textile and industrial prices are moving up, but there is no sign of any improvement in carpet, which is also the case in West Europe where however in higher denier industrial filament there are signs of some price-increases.	1 May 2008
	Polyester filament and staple prices in Asian remain under some pressure because of the slow return to full textile activity in China, and in some cases prices have been reduced. Q1 polyester output in China is up just 8% on last year. Fibre exporters out of China, keen to keep any volume available, have been willing to hold or reduce quotations in dollars in spite of the strengthening RMB. In the USA, in contrast, fibre prices continue to rise in response to raw materials pressures, even though the market is not at all strong. While in Europe, euro-based prices are beginning to decrease such is the weakness of the market and the strength of $-based imports.	1 May 2008
	The Q4 2007 issue of 'Textile Pipeline' has just been published, including the following topics - Global and Regional Fibre Demand, Long-term Consumption Trends, World Textile and Apparel Trade, World Mill Consumption by Region and Country, The Changing Pattern of Mill Demand Supply, Prices in the Textile Pipeline, India's Textile Pipeline and Global Textile Pipeline Stocks. For further information, including subscription details to our 'Textile Pipeline' and 'Textile Pipeline Special' services please contact us at: PCI Fibres - telephone: +44 1293 884024 or e-mail info@pcifibres.com.	21 November 2007