US phenol values strengthened in early March as feedstock shortages, rising energy costs, and Gulf Coast disruptions tightened near-term supply. Sanctions on Iranian benzene, declining imports through the Port of Houston, and a PDH unit outage constrained benzene and cumene availability for phenol production. Storm-related power outages and elevated freight rates further pressured supply chains. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz increased volatility in crude and LNG markets, raising production costs for petrochemicals. With inventories limited and feedstock availability uncertain, the US phenol market sentiment turned firmer as buyers secured supply amid tightening conditions.
