Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM) prices have shown stability throughout August, initially driven by supply tightening, which was later followed by increased availability. The market turned bullish after Celanese announced its maintenance plans for VAM and acetic acid, leading to a surge in orders for September and October. Despite this, acetic acid prices in Europe remained steady throughout the month. VAM margins for Europe-bound deliveries were unchanged in the final week due to weak demand and existing contractual obligations.
In the early weeks of August, VAM supply remained sluggish compared to June and July levels. By the week ending xxth August, spot prices for feedstock ethylene had risen by up to xxx since the beginning of the month. This was largely due to reduced production output, with Celanese and other major US producers facing challenges that kept production below optimal levels. Additionally, methanol and acetic acid prices...
