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Demand is weak due to a lackluster trade in the downstream Limited Offers Heard

Demand is weak due to a lackluster trade in the downstream Limited Offers Heard

May 29, 2024

Participants stayed away from the Asian ethylene market on May 28. The demand remained low due to a lackluster derivatives trade and lower operating rates. Few buyers were keen to buy additional quantities for the month of June. There were some buy signals at $830/mt CIF Northeast Asia. This was unchanged from the previous week. Few offers were made, with sellers citing thin production margins and narrow ethylene-naphtha differentials. The benchmark C+F Japan Naphtha mark was $14/mt more than the previous day, at $689.50/mt on May 28 Asian close. The ethylene-naphtha differential was calculated at $165.50/mt. This is below the typical spreads of $250/mt or $300-$350/mt that are common for non-integrated producers.