US Ethylene Oxide Prices Fall 3.28% in July 2026 Amid Gulf Coast Supply Tightness

US ethylene oxide contract prices softened in July despite intermittent tightening across the Gulf Coast as maintenance reduced merchant availability. Early-month demand remained steady from MEG, ethanolamines, surfactants and personal-care producers, while PET and packaging converters maintained conservative inventories and limited incremental buying. Planned outages at several Gulf Coast facilities temporarily tightened spot availability, but this support was insufficient to prevent a monthly decline in contract values. Feedstock conditions were mixed: ample ethane continued to support competitive Gulf Coast production economics, while firmer ethylene increased replacement costs and strengthened seller resistance later in the month. Export demand provided only temporary support, leaving the market largely dependent on domestic derivative consumption. By late July, spot sentiment improved as outages overlapped and prompt availability tightened, although activity moderated entering August. The near-term outlook is moderately firm, with August gains possible before softer conditions emerge later in the year as maintenance ends and downstream inventories remain controlled.