Argaam Petrochemical Index dips 4.8 pts amid price declines, yuan devaluation

17/08/2015 Argaam - Exclusive

Argaam Petrochemical Index, which measures the average change in prices for a basket of petrochemicals produced in the Gulf, declined 4.8 points to 210.2 by the end of last week on lower prices and concerns about the Chinese yuan’s devaluation.

 

Argaam Petrochemical Index

210.2

Argaam Index (August 16)

( 2.2 % )

Weekly change

+ 4.0 %

6 months change

( 26.0 % )

1-year change

 

 

Naphtha feedstock decreased $5 week-on-week to $455 a ton last week.

 

The prices of Saudi natural gas liquids (NGL), such as propane and butane, are set at 28 percent below the Japanese Naphtha benchmark— excluding freight costs.

 

Prices of Naphtha ​​including shipping costs to Japan (August 16)

1-year change

6 months change

Weekly change

Price

Product

( 49 % )

( 17 % )

( 1 % )

455

Naphtha *

( 49 % )

( 17 % )

( 1 % )

328

Propane **

* CFR  Japan.

** Approximate price in Saudi Arabia (28% discount for Naphtha).

The prices of several products fell last week, particularly basic materials and polymers. Negative sentiment prevailed among traders as the Chinese currency depreciated. The move signaled that an economic slowdown was approaching in China, one of the world’s major petrochemicals importers. 

Ethylene tumbled $130 to a six-month low of $910 a ton. High-density polyethylene dropped $20 to $1,190 a ton. Polypropylene was down $15 to $1,075 a ton.

 

Basic Petrochemicals (August 16) - Asian markets

1-year change

6 months change

Weekly change

Price

Product

( 39 % )

+ 1 %

( 13 % )

910

Ethylene*

( 39 % )

( 3 % )

( 2 % )

825

Propylene*

( 51 % )

( 1 % )

( 9 % )

655

Benzene*

( 12 % )

+ 14 %

( 1 % )

1,100

Styrene*

( 12 % )

+ 14 %

--

360

Methanol  (Methanex)**

( 27 % )

+ 2 %

( 7 % )

255

Methanol (China)***

( 27 % )

+ 4 %

+ 1 %

715

MTBE****

* FOB-East Asia (Japan, Taiwan and Korea).

** ACP "Methanex"

*** Methanol prices in China.

**** Spot – Singapore.

 

Polymers Prices (August 16) - Asian markets

1-year change

6 months change

Weekly change

Price

Product

( 26 % )

+ 6 %

( 2 % )

1,190

Polyethylene*

( 30 % )

+ 5 %

( 1 % )

1,075

Polypropylene

( 27 % )

+ 9 %

( 1 % )

1,245

Poly Styrene

( 20 % )

+ 2 %

--

850

PVC

( 1 % )

+ 6 %

--

2,475

PCB

* High-density polyethylene.

 

Intermediates (August 16) - Asian markets

1-year change

6 months change

Weekly change

Price

Product

( 24 % )

( 6 % )

( 2 % )

760

Spot MEG - china

( 11 % )

+ 16 %

--

1020

MEG (SABIC)

( 42 % )

+ 2 %

( 4 % )

600

PTA

 

Fertilizers (August 16) - Gulf Arab Countries

1-year change

6 months change

Weekly change

Price

Product

( 17 % )

( 11 % )

+ 2 %

285

Urea

( 20 % )

( 11 % )

--

395

Ammonia

+ 1 %

--

--

480

DAP*

* Export price from Saudi Arabia

 

Titanium Dioxide (August 16)

1-year change

6 months change

Weekly change

Price

Product

( 16 % )

( 9 % )

--

2350

Tio2 (Asia)

( 27 % )

( 10 % )

--

2305

Tio2 (Europe)

( 11 % )

( 3 % )

--

3080

Tio2 (America)

 

End Products for Saudi Petrochemical Companies

Finished Products

Company

Polyethylene , polypropylene , poly styrene , ethylene glycol (MEG), methyl tert- butyl ether (MTBE), benzene , urea , ammonia , PVC, and PTA

SABIC

Urea, ammonia.

SAFCO

Polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene glycol (MEG), methyl tert- butyl ether (MTBE), benzene.

YANSAB

Polyethylene, polypropylene, propylene. (TiO2)

Tasnee

Polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene glycol (MEG), polycarbonate, and bisphenol A.

Saudi Kayan

Polyethylene, polypropylene, propylene oxide, and refined petroleum products.

Petro Rabigh

Polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene.

Petrochem

Polyethylene, polypropylene.

Sahara Petrochemicals

Styrene, benzene, Cyclohexene, propylene.

Saudi Group

Methanol, Butanol, acetic acid, vinyl acetate monomer.

Sipchem

Polypropylene

Advanced

Polypropylene

Alujain

Formaldehyde - improvers concrete

CHEMANOL

Epoxy resin, hydrochloric acid, liquid caustic soda, soda granules.

NAMA

Ammonia and DAP

MAADEN

 

About Argaam Petrochemical Index:

 

Argaam Petrochemical Index is the only index that provides weekly capacity-weighted measures for the average changes of international prices of several petrochemical products manufactured in the Gulf Arab countries. 

 

Internally consumed products, which are used as feedstock for producing other petrochemicals, represent smaller weights on the index. These products— such as ethylene, propylene and ammonia— are not sold regularly in the international market.

 

Final products sold in international markets such as polyethylene, polypropylene, MTBE, MEG, and urea represent the biggest weights on the index.

 

Naphtha prices, the main feedstock benchmark, correlate negatively with the index. The weights of products on the index are reviewed periodically.

 

As of January 1, 2002 the index started at 100 points.

 

 

Argaam Reports

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