Chemical Updates

Asian Butadiene: Up $30-$90/mt on week amid rise in upstream prices / Crude oil surges 16% on week, naphtha up 19% / China H1 2026 exports surge over fourfold YOY

Jul 25, 2026

Asian butadiene up $30/metric ton week over week at $1,330/mt CFR China on July 24. other benchmarks like FOB Korea up $50/mt week over week and CFR Northeast Asia up $90/mt at $1,310/mt over the same period. September ICE Brent crude oil rose $13.22/b, or nearly 16%, week over week to $98.02/b at 0830 GMT in Asian trade July 24, while naphtha rose nearly 19% to $952.75/mt CIF Japan. This put pressure on Asian producers of butadiene and olefins, with market talk of steam cracker operating rate cuts emerging, especially as the spread between ethylene and naphtha flipped into negative territory midweek and closed at $27.25/mt on July 24. While there was some upward movement heard among buyers of butadiene over the week, the main price increases were heard from...

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