Ethylene:Asia

摘要

NEA: Northeast Asian ethylene prices closed at $1,011/mt CFR Friday, marking a $40/mt week-on-week increase. From Thursday, the prices were stable. At the start of the week, market sentiment was firm, driven by strong demand for downstream production — especially for monoethylene glycol — as well as due to an unplanned steam cracker shutdown (600,000 mt/year) by Mitsui Chemicals Thursday. A spot transaction was reported at $1,000/mt CFR Taiwan Wednesday, for MEG production, lifting the NEA market to a four-digit number the first time since May 31. But on Friday, end-users’ buying appetite eased. “MEG producers can afford to pay $1,100/mt CFR NEA. But spot ethylene demand for other derivatives stalled,” a trader said. Ethylene end-users for PVC and PE production especially decided to take a wait-and-see stance Friday.