Chemical Updates

$1,170/mt / CFR Northeast Asia ethylene rises $20/mt / Wide bid-offer gap limits spot transactions / Butene-1 markets remain stable amid volatility

Aug 03, 2026

CFR Northeast Asia ethylene up $20/metric ton day over day and week over week at $1,000/mt July 31, within a wide buy-sell range of $980–$1,050/mt for 3,500 mt second half of August to first half of September cargoes. A CFR Taiwan buying idea was heard around $950/mt for a similar-sized parcel. A floating-price transaction involving a FOB China cargo was heard concluded at the September ICIS CFR Northeast Asia index plus $30–$35/mt, reflecting continued preference for formula-linked structures over fixed-price deals amid feedstock volatility. Benchmark naphtha CFR Japan eased through the session, falling from a previous close of $873.75/mt to $839.50/mt by the afternoon, a net drop of $34.25/mt. Despite the softer feedstock tone, ethylene values firmed on scarce physical spot availability and persistent seller resistance. Downstream demand remained deeply...

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