Steady MEK demand pre-Lunar New Year giveshope to post-Lunar New Year market

摘要

SINGAPORE(ICIS)-China‘s domestic methyl ethyl ketone(MEK)market continued its bullish trendthis week,while export markets turned lacklustre with the onset of Lunar New Year the followingweek.Unlike typical years- when activity in the yuan-denominated market would have dwindled by thisweek with the Lunar New Year holidays nearing- there was still some downstream demand.Market sources said that the Chinese government strongly encouraged its citizens to stay where theywere during the festive season in light of the escalating situation of the coronavirus pandemic.In turn,fewer people made their yearly exodus back to their hometowns.As a result,many smalldownstream plants were still in production this week.