US monoethylene glycol (MEG) spot prices ended the week largely unchanged, assessed at 21.00–21.50 cents/lb FD US Gulf, even as a softer Asian market exerted downward pressure. Market participants reported that US material continues to sell at lower prices than in Asia, with some traders offering at even deeper discounts. Barge pricing showed slightly more stability, but limited liquidity and cautious buying kept spot transactions absent.
On the export front, flows into Europe are expected to increase following the restart of monthly contract deliveries by a major Korean producer. Two cargoes are already en route and scheduled to discharge in early September, signaling improved availability and steady contract fulfillment. Despite this global movement, the US MEG market remains hampered by weak domestic demand, falling Asian prices, and a lack of firm spot activity, even as international trade begins to stabilize with the resumption of Korean exports to Europe.
In Asia, CFR China MEG prices slipped to USD 515–520/mt, down USD 10/mt week on week, while CFR Southeast Asia prices fell to USD 520–525/mt, a decline of USD 15/mt over the same period.
