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PX tumbles $13/mt / MX continues to be supported by the demand for arbitrage

PX tumbles $13/mt / MX continues to be supported by the demand for arbitrage

May 03, 2024

Asian mixed isomer xylene fell $5.50/mt on May 2, as upstream oil prices dropped. In Asian trade at 0830 GMT, July ICE Bent crude futures fell $3.16/barrel, to $84.23/b. This led to large drops in several aromatics, with paraxylene dropping $13/mt, to $1,025.33/mt, CFR Unv1/China. On May 2, the PX-MX differential continued to narrow and was down $7.50/mt at $41.33/mt, its lowest level since November 14, 2022. Market participants reported that the spread was narrowing as MX continues to be supported by arbitrage demands for the US during the summer gasoline season in the Northern Hemisphere, while paraxylene is experiencing a sluggish PTA demand. I think that so many people are looking forward to MX going to the US. "Good time to move all year long," said a trader.