Asia BD market likely to remain flat; Chinese demand softens amid deep-sea influx

摘要

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s butadiene (BD) market looks likely to remain relatively flat in the near term on softening Chinese demand amid an influx of deep-sea material from the EU and the US. Suppliers from the EU and US have shipped out their surplus BD stocks to Asia due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, which has battered the automotive sector, disrupted supply and crippled demand. “Deep-sea BD cargoes are still being shipped out to Asia, and discussions are ongoing for August and early September arrivals, but the Chinese domestic market is softening, and Chinese buyers have become less enthusiastic about purchasing deep-sea cargoes,” a trader said.