The U.S. methyl n-amyl ketone market held a soft but stable tone in early July, with strong Gulf Coast production and smooth exports unable to fully absorb a growing domestic surplus. Coatings makers remained cautious amid a shift toward greener chemistries, while overseas buyers from Mexico, Europe, and China helped ease the pressure, but not reverse it.
Through the first half of July, the U.S. methyl n-amyl ketone market moved with a subtle softness, as ample Gulf Coast inventories and steady production outpaced both domestic consumption and overseas demand. While exports helped ease some of the surplus, they weren’t enough to reverse the broader tone of quiet oversupply. Even with smooth plant operations and stable logistics, methyl n-amyl ketone spot values drifted slightly lower, pressured by full tanks, a more cautious coatings industry, and flat domestic offtake.
Production of methyl n-amyl ketone remained strong, with Gulf plants running near capacity. There were no major outages, and with acetone and butyraldehyde feedstocks holding steady or slightly easing, producers kept barrels moving. But these same factors—low feed costs and uninterrupted supply—also contributed to the build-up of stocks. Storage levels in Louisiana climbed to their highest in over a year, keeping the market long and prompting sellers to adjust price lists modestly just to keep product flowing.
Logistics posed no roadblocks. Rail, barge, and deep-sea freight channels remained clear, helping methyl n-amyl ketone reach foreign markets efficiently. Mexican buyers remained the most active, taking advantage of aggressive offers to replenish solvent inventories for packaging and coatings applications. Chinese traders re-entered the market cautiously, encouraged by a slight improvement in U.S.–China trade sentiment. European converters—especially in Rotterdam and Antwerp—continued to draw cargoes, supported by favorable freight economics and a steady pull from ink and adhesive segments.
Still, domestic demand for methyl n-amyl ketone showed little sign of recovery. The U.S. coatings industry continues shifting toward ultra-low-VOC and waterborne technologies, with R&D dollars moving away from solvent-based systems. This structural transition is keeping a lid on any meaningful increase in local consumption. The result is a methyl n-amyl ketone market that’s well-supplied, comfortably exported, but not particularly tight or bullish.
While hurricane season always looms as a potential disruptor, the first half of July was marked by operational ease and logistical fluidity. Refiners favored heavy crude slates, helping secondary feedstock availability, and there were no major port issues or storm-related slowdowns.
Heading into the second half of July, the U.S. methyl n-amyl ketone market looks set to stay soft but steady. According to the ChemAnalyst database, with the methyl n-amyl ketone market remaining well-stocked and domestic demand moving at a cautious pace, there’s little to push prices higher in the upcoming weeks. Overseas orders, especially from Mexico and Europe, are providing some baseline, but not enough to tighten things up. Unless a storm shakes up methyl n-amyl ketone supply or buyers step in more aggressively, the market is anticipated to keep drifting quietly through the summer.
