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Margins in the downstream are weak  | Spread to naphtha for $259.25-275.50/mt

Margins in the downstream are weak | Spread to naphtha for $259.25-275.50/mt

Apr 21, 2023

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Margins in the downstream are weak-
Spread to naphtha for $259.25-275.50/mt



A quiet market kept Asian ethylene at $920/mt CIF
Northeast Asia, and $950/mt CIF Southeast Asia on April 20. Some
participants continue to develop a bearish outlook as downstream margins remain
unhealthy. Poor margins have been attributed to macroeconomic factors like
high interest rates and volatile upstream prices, as well as a
slower-than-expected recovery in demand after China's reopening. Some
participants expect the supply squeeze to ease as a result of recent ethylene
tenders from Southeast Asia, and potential MTO plans in China. The
benchmark C+F Japan Naphtha was valued at $660.75/mt, up by $1.75/mt from the
Asian close on April 20. The ethylene/naphtha differential was $259.25-275/mt.
This is above the usual spread of $250/mt and below the typical range of
$300-350/mt. 

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