Asian Ethylene Market: Tight Supplies

Asian Ethylene: Quiet amid ongoing spot talks / Regional supply tightness keeps sell sentiment bullish / Chinese domestic offers stable WOW

Jun 04, 2026

The Asian ethylene markets were quiet in the week ended Dec. 19, with limited spot discussions heard amid ongoing term contract negotiations. Selling sentiment for January cargoes remained bullish, with several trade sources pointing to sustained supply tightness in the region owing to lowered steam cracker operating rates and ongoing and upcoming shutdowns in January. In the Chinese domestic markets, offers were stable week over week at Yuan 6,150/mt ex-tank, with deals done heard at the same level, according to traders and producers. Upstream, the C+F Japan naphtha marker was assessed down $4/mt day over day at $530.875/mt on Dec. 19 Asian close. The ethylene-naphtha spread was calculated at $214.125/mt, below the typical spread of $250/mt for integrated producers and $300-350/mt for non-integrated producers, data showed.

In the butene-1 markets,...

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