European ethylene markets remained subdued on Monday, with prices unchanged from last Friday’s levels despite soft market momentum. CIF Northwest Europe ethylene was assessed at USD 800–810/mt, and FD NWE spot was steady at €705–715/mt. An industry source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told our team: “Buying interest for ethylene in the region remained muted, reflecting subdued market activity.” Prices in Asia mirrored this stability, with CFR Northeast Asia ethylene priced at USD 815–825/mt, unchanged from the previous session.
The European market has been characterized by excess supply and cautious purchasing patterns. Buyers have largely stayed on the sidelines, and import availability has kept CIF values in check. While upstream energy costs – such as crude and naphtha, have seen modest movement, they have yet to exert influence on downstream ethylene pricing. In Asia, stable feedstock costs and full cracker operating rates have similarly restrained ethylene price action.
For producers and traders, the current sideways pricing presents limited opportunities for margin enhancement. However, with inventories ample and demand tepid, price resilience suggests a fragile equilibrium rather than market strength. Downstream converters, meanwhile, face limited cost inflation but may need to deploy flexible purchasing strategies in case of sudden supply constraints.
Looking ahead, market participants will track developments that could disrupt the status quo, such as unscheduled cracker outages in Europe, a shift in freight rates affecting import competitiveness, or early signs of demand picking up in key derivative markets. Without such catalysts, both European and Asian ethylene prices are likely to remain range-bound in the near term.
