The European cyclohexane (CX) market has seen a significant downward correction as the contract price for September 2025 settled considerably lower compared to the previous month.
According to a source in Europe, the contract price for cyclohexane was agreed at €793 per metric ton on a CIF Northwest Europe basis. This marks a steep decline of €75/mt from the August 2025 settlement, reflecting soft fundamentals across the region.
Market participants attributed the sharp drop to easing feedstock costs and lackluster demand from downstream caprolactam and nylon chains, which are the primary consumers of cyclohexane. The slowdown in European manufacturing, particularly in automotive and textiles, has weighed on nylon demand, limiting buyers’ appetite for fresh CX volumes. Sources also noted that ample regional supply, supported by steady production at key facilities, has further pressured market sentiment.
Traders observed that while the decline provides some relief for downstream players facing squeezed margins, the adjustment underscores broader weakness across the petrochemical complex. Energy market volatility has had limited impact on cyclohexane pricing in recent weeks, with fundamentals firmly shaped by subdued consumption and balanced supply.
Looking ahead, industry observers suggest that any meaningful recovery in CX prices will depend on a pickup in nylon demand during the final quarter of 2025. However, with uncertainty in Europe’s industrial sector still dominating sentiment, the outlook for cyclohexane remains cautiously bearish in the near term.
