Chemicals Updates

Asian Benzene: prices lower amid weaker upstream markets / CFR Singapore trade heard at a $2-$3/mt premium to MOPK / Thin discussions in Taiwan

Aug 11, 2025

Asian benzene was $3.34/mt lower on the session at $733.33/mt FOB Korea Aug 8, amid weaker performance from upstream markets. Upstream, the front-month ICE Brent futures fell 67 cents/b to $66.36/b, while naphtha fell 50 cents/mt on the trading session to $570.50/mt. During the Market on Close assessment process, no trades were reported. The September/October physical spread was however at a contango of minus $1/mt, flipping from a backwardation of $1/mt from the previous trading session. The September laycans were at $733/mt FOB Korea, below Gunvor’s offer at $734/mt, while the October laycans were at $734/mt FOB Korea, above GS Caltex’s bid at $733/ mt and below Hengli’s offer at $735/mt. In the Southeast Asia market, tradable indications for CFR Southeast cargoes were heard at premiums in the low single...

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