Asia’s Ethylene Prices covered a wider range in the 3rd Week of April
by Chem Analyst Chemical Database PriceEthylene Industry Outlook
In the global petrochemicals
industry, Ethylene holds a prestigious position because of encompassing a huge
market share both by value and volume. However, in terms of demand, the
chemical is highly susceptible to upstream Naphtha and several downstream
industries such as thermoplastic derivatives, PET, LDPE, HDPE etc. The year
2020 began with huge market optimism as U.S. and China trade war ended along
with scheduled new plant capacities and planned crude oil to chemical (COTC)
investments by Asian refiners. However,
the spread of coronavirus made the chemical industry slip into doldrums with
olefins market becoming highly susceptible to crude crash and demand
destruction as countries found no other means but to impose lockdown to contain
the spread.
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Factors putting the ethylene
market under pressure
Demand shock is exacerbating the ethylene price to fall to
several years low. Reduced offtake from several downstream sectors of
ethylene like polyethylene, MEG and styrene monomer has pressurized the
Ethylene prices.
Chemical Pricing: https://www.chemanalyst.com/ChemicalPricing/ChecmPriceYearlyChart?Customer=False
Lockdowns in
several APAC countries as the virus takes a toll throughout the world has
forced factories to shut and succumb to logistics constraints and labour
shortages. This forced the producers to lower their margins and sell the
commodity at cheaper rates. Several downstream producers have also reduced
their plant operations by 60-90 per cent.
Asia’s Cracker
margins have also taken a hit and are expected to turn negative again after
strong gains reported since early January which had remained negative for a
longer time since October 2019. Many crackers in northeast and southeast Asia
have trimmed rates by 10-15 per cent and were mulling raising rates again from
February. Naphtha prices hovered around $184/MT to $200/MT CFR Japan in the
last week of April. Cracker operating rates remained at 90 per cent in line
with plans to minimize inventory and at higher levels on an average in
northeast Asia. Ethylene supplies were further lengthened due to low naphtha
prices and the recent increase in co-product propylene prices.
Producers are
grappling with high inventories amid tepid demand for ethylene in
northeast Asia. Extra cargoes remained idle in the market with no further
shipments leading to weaker margins.
Key Headlines
- Oil Prices Dived to Negative as Inventories Swell
- Ethylene Prices Drop Below $400/MT Due to Oversupply Situation
- French Energy Major Total Working with Mozambique Govt. To Manage Covid Cases at Its LNG Site
- Contra Costa County Announces Production Halt Due to Demand Shock
- ABB Power Wins an INR 165 Crore Project From IOCL
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Created on Apr 21st 2020 11:35. Viewed 325 times.