Recovered paper prices catch the volatility bug

As an industry, we have grown accustomed to experiencing - and working with - high levels of volatility both geopolitically and within our own sector. However, 2025 has introduced a whole new scale of volatility and uncertainty, not least as a result of the new US administration’s trade policies.

Recovered paper prices worldwide have caught the volatility bug: as you will read in the regional market reports to our latest World Mirror on Recovered Paper, changes in price direction have been frequent and, in some cases, significant.

Limited reel orders from China have led to a reduction in overall demand within Asia. At the same time, there has been stronger domestic demand within Europe and the USA, as well as an improvement in freight rates for those looking to ship to Asia. The weakness of the US dollar in relation to the Euro and sterling has made exports from Europe less competitive while favouring shipments out of the USA.

All of these developments have occurred against the backdrop of a global decline in recovered paper collection volumes, partly reflecting how the aforementioned volatility and uncertainty are undermining consumer confidence and therefore expenditure.