Ethylene Oxide Market Morning Briefing (September 16, 2026)

I. Key Highlights

1. Sep 15: Rising risks to Saudi crude supply and continued stalemate in US-Iran relations have pushed international oil prices higher. NYMEX WTI futures for the October contract rose $4.44/bbl to $105.83, a week-on-week increase of +4.38%. ICE Brent futures for the November contract rose $3.07/bbl to $108.75, a week-on-week increase of +2.90%. In China, INE crude oil futures for the November 2026 contract rose by 59.7 yuan/barrel to 836.2 yuan/barrel during the day session, and increased by another 23.8 yuan/barrel to 860 yuan/barrel in the night session.

2. Sep 15: Port ethylene USD basis CFR Northeast Asia price stood at $1,150/ton, unchanged from the previous business day.

3. Sep 15: The daily operating rate of China's ethylene oxide (EO) industry was 51.53%.

II. Price List

Data Source: Chempricehub Information

Notes:

1. Prices represent spot rates from the two most recent business days, not weekly averages.
2. All RMB prices listed above are ex-works cash/tax-inclusive prices.
3. Percentage change refers to period-over-period variation.
4. Unit: RMB/ton.

III. Market Outlook

Ethylene oxide (EO) prices are expected to remain elevated in the near term. Supply conditions in the monoethylene glycol (MEG) market remain tight, with prices likely to continue their upward trend, boosting market confidence. Tight spot circulation of EO persists, providing supply-side support. Downstream sectors across various industries are performing reasonably well, maintaining steady consumption. On the cost side, trading volume in the ethylene market has declined, and producers lack sufficient momentum for further price hikes; ethylene prices are likely to remain stable, offering bottom-line support to costs. Overall, short-term fundamentals reflect steady trading activity, suggesting EO prices will likely trend slightly stronger or remain firm. Attention should be paid to subsequent developments in both upstream and downstream markets.

Note:

1. ↓↑ indicates significant volatility, highlighting data dimensions with changes exceeding 3%.
2. ↗↘ indicates narrow-range fluctuations, highlighting data dimensions with changes within 0–3%.

Data Source: Chempricehub Information