NE Asian ethane-based cracking margins turn negative first time on rising ethane prices

摘要

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Northeast (NE) Asian theoretical cracking margins have been in the negative territory since April on continued rises in FOB (free-on-board) US ethane prices and general downturn in key derivative ethylene prices from February. This is the first time that the margins turned negative since the first and the only local cracker with ethane as one of the key feedstocks came on stream in the third quarter in 2019.