Chemicals Updates

Asian Methanol: Prices stable amid weak downstream demand / Tight tank space, swelling inventory cap CFR methanol prices / Bearish acetic acid, MTBE demand cloud Korean nearterm outlook / Yang Ming Marine orders 3 more methanol dual-fuel-ready containerships

Jul 26, 2025

Asian methanol prices closed the week stable, except for Chinese domestic prices, which surged on expectations that the Chinese government would introduce capacity cuts at its quarterly Politburo meeting at the end of July. Domestic methanol prices in east China were up Yuan 108/ mt, or $15.04/mt, week over week at Yuan 2,475-2,495/mt ex-tank July 25. However, swelling methanol inventory in east and south China amid tight tank space and weak downstream fundamentals limited discussions for dollar-denominated spot cargoes. “I don’t want to buy as my tanks are very full throughout August,” said a trader. “[The price] has to be cheap enough to dump out my stock, then I can buy new cargo,” the trader added. A methanol-to-olefin plant was heard planning to shut down for a short while due...

Exclusive market movement data, shipping lineups, demand signals and pricing rationale continue in full report.

Unlock complete article access with a paid account.

Continue Reading With Membership

This is a preview. Login and activate a paid plan to read the complete article.