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Affected by the ongoing military actions by the US and Israel against Iran, China Chemical News reported that on March 4, several manufacturers and traders in Asia said that due to these ongoing military actions, there were concerns that supply of key raw materials from the Middle East might decrease. On March 3, the price of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in Asia rose by about 5%; the offshore price of MTBE in Singapore increased by $39.13 per ton on that day, reaching $818.54 per ton – the highest level in almost two years. Prices are expected to continue rising in the short term. An MTBE producer in Asia said that although rising prices are beneficial for manufacturers, concerns about the supply of naphtha and butane, the key raw materials for MTBE, are increasing in the market. The manufacturer said, “Tight supplies of raw materials have forced some manufacturers to consider reducing production. Although no manufacturer has yet confirmed such reductions or order cancellations, new market prices have dropped significantly.” ”An Asian LPG broker noted that disruptions in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz have affected the supply of butane in the Middle East, as most of the butane in that region is transported via this key passage. According to Platts, the CIF price of butane in Northeast Asia rose by $16 per ton on March 3, reaching $779 per ton. An MTBE trader in Singapore said that over the past few weeks, Chinese MTBE supplies have continued to be shipped to Western markets such as Europe and Latin America, but following the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, purchases from Europe have come to a complete halt. An MTBE producer in Southeast Asia said that as demand in Europe stagnates, market purchasing focus has shifted back to the Malacca Strait region. On the evening of March 3, the arbitrage spread in the Strait of Malacca widened, with a clear shortage of supplies in the area.