ECHEMI Analysis

As for producers adopted propylene method, they saw higher production cost as the propylene market prices were increasing.

• Isopropanol
• Acetone
• Propylene

On the whole, the phenol supply won’t be tight with the recovery of phenolic ketone unit finishes the maintenance.

• Phenol
• Benzene
• Supply

In Q1, 2018, the export volume reached 2,221.01mt, jumping 2,747.93% year on year. Around 6kt of epichlorohydrin were exported without the record of customs. The export volume was expected to hit a historical high.

• Epichlorohydrin

Weekly offers and analyses for chemicals this week are as follows:

• Weekly
• Offer

Influenced by the high prices of glacial acetic acid, VAC producers adopted calcium carbide method in Northwest China increase greatly.

• Glacial Acetic Acid
• VAC
• Styrene

Producers’ offers are stable, and producers have no intention to adjust prices.

• Titanium Dioxide

Phenol prices have moved down greatly and holders are cautious about the market.

• Phenol
• Price

However, acetone producers didn’t cut the prices further.With the declines in supply of low-priced goods, the market prices rebounded.

• Acetone
• Price

Some low-priced goods were sold to Shandong, which weighed on the market prices in Shandong.

• Aniline
• Dyes
• Rubber Additives

From early 2018, MMA producers published their maintenance schedule and the MMA market prices continued increasing and reached a new hig...

• MMA
• Coatings
• PMMA

Weekly offers and analyses for chemicals this week are as follows:

• Weekly
• Offer

Some units phenol units will undergo maintenance, but the weak demand will weigh on the prices.

• Phenol
• Benzene

Benzene prices from Sinopec moved up and propylene market prices moved marginally, which give limited support to the acetone market.

• Chinese
• Phenol
• Acetone

Seen from the above chart, the export volume of Chinese titanium dioxide in Q1, 2018 increased greatly year on year.

• Titanium Dioxide
• Operating Rate
• Export
• Import

Weekly offers and analyses for chemicals this week are as follows:

• Weekly
• Offers

Chinese acetone producers increased prices by RMB 300/mt.In H2 April, the Chinese acetone market prices became stable.

• Acetone
• Phenol
• Propylene

As for the demand, the hot and rainy weather will influence the demand for formaldehyde.

• Formaldehyde
• Methanol
• Aldehyde

Prices for cyclohexanone in East China were in the range of RMB 11,800-12,000/mt, up RMB 80/mt.

• Cyclohexanone
• Benzene

The supply and demand in the Chinese rutile titanium dioxide market will be stable.

• Titanium Dioxide

Market prices continued moving up, and the mainstream negotiation prices followed the uptrend.

• Isopropanol
• Acetone