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Weak margins downstream  | Persistent bearish mood

Weak margins downstream | Persistent bearish mood

May 23, 2023

- Weak margins downstream- Persistent bearish mood



Prices of Northeast Asian ethylene were
down $10/mt for the day to $840/mt, while Southeast Asian ethylene prices
remained unchanged at $910/mt. On
the back of an $830/mt CFR Northeast Asia deal made on May 19, waning buying
signals were heard. Participants
attributed the low demand and bearish sentiment to unhealthy margins on
downstream markets. The majority of market
participants also claimed to have met their ethylene requirements for both May
and June. This further slowed demand. The
benchmark C+F Japan Naphtha Marker was down $3.75/mt to $583.75/mt by the Asian
close on May 22. The ethylene-naphtha
differential was $256.25/mt. This is above the typical $250/mt spread for
integrated producers and below the typical $300-$350/mt spread for
non-integrated manufacturers.