For the Quarter Ending March 2022
North America
Nonyl Phenol Ethoxylates prices in the United States have witnessed strong market sentiments throughout Q1 in response to the higher Ethylene Oxide feedstock prices and outstretching demand. The curtailed operations in ExxonMobil’s Baytown refinery following an explosion in late December have continued to create a supply deficiency of upstream olefins and consequently caused its prices to gain significant numbers. The high upstream pricing, which got transferred to its downstream Ethylene Oxide, weighed on the input cost of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates. Prompting the manufacturers for a price increase, thus, the Nonylphenol Ethoxylates US discussions reached USD 1923/MT FOB Gulf Coast in the quarter ending March 2022.
Asia Pacific
In Asia, the prices of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates have witnessed an increment of 9% in the first quarter of 2022. Increased stockpiling activities with suspended Chinese Nonylphenol imports on account of the Chinese New Year Holiday break in early February have made its price skyrocket in the Indian domestic market, followed by the global shortage. Increased input costs with strong feedstock Ethylene Oxide and Phenol market added to the upward price trajectory in the Asian market. Also, increased application of personal care products kept the demand high from the downstream surfactant sector, causing the Indian prices of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates to soar in March to USD 2330/MT Ex-Kashipur. On the other hand, with declining buying sentiments and high inventory levels, the Chinese NPE prices slipped from USD 3528/MT in January to USD 3347/MT FOB Qingdao in March.
Europe
The European Nonylphenol Ethoxylates market has experienced a bullish pricing trend during Q1 of 2022. This uphill curve owed to the worsening economic crisis against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukrainian conflict. PCC group (Poland), a key exporter, fell short of raw material procurement from Russia because of restricted freight movements associated with the war in the entire region. Hence, the tight product supplies from Poland impacted the Nonylphenol Ethoxylates regional market and the downstream cleaning industry. Additionally, dueling with the supply challenges and inflationary pressure of bullish raw material market has brought about the German prices of NPE as USD 1993/MT FOB Hamburg in March.
For the Quarter Ending December 2021
North America
The North American Nonylphenol Ethoxylates market showed a sharp surge in prices during October and November on account of an unabated rise in ethylene oxide and phenol raw material costs at a global level. Additionally, the hindrances in logistic movements restricted raw material availability thereby curtailing production load and inducing tightness in supply dynamics of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates. The dispatch processes to local downstream industries also took a hit as trucks availability remained critically low during the starting weeks of the quarter. A consistent pull from the downstream surfactant industry raised manufacturers’ sentiments for keeping their contracts firm. However, the ease down in the upstream market along with improving port activities capped the gaining pace of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates prices which averaged out at USD 1774/MT FOB Gulf Coast in the last month of the quarter.
Asia
Prices of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates in Asia continued an upward rally pushed by the firmness in the upstream costs. Amid the raging demand from downstream surfactant industry, the manufacturers in China remained under pressure as they stood helplessly bound by the government’s “Dual Control Policy” that forced them to run productions at curtailed rates. The lingering global logistical barriers along with additional blockages at Chinese ports owing to its zero-covid policies restrained the timely supply of raw materials, further adding to the manufacturers’ miseries. Amid the widening demand-supply gap the Nonylphenol Ethoxylates prices in China settled at USD 3502/MT FOB Qingdao during December. India, during the initial month of the quarter, was also witnessed dueling with the supply challenges and inflationary pressure of bullish raw material market as the offers for Nonylphenol Ethoxylates underwent upward revisions by traders who wanted to safeguard their margin. However, with relaxing freight movements, the traders quickly resorted to stockpiling activity which decreased the country’s dependency on imported volumes whose consistency remained uncertain. Hence, slipping on the downside, the prices of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates in India hovered around USD 1965/MT Ex-Kashipur during December.
Europe
The prices of Nonylphenol Ethoxylates in Europe climbed up effectively in Q4-2021, on the back of inadequate raw material availability and soaring energy prices that exerted immense pressure on the input costs. The spot trading had also turned sour as the logistic delays and soaring freight did not go in favour of the market. Meanwhile, the demand in the surfactant sector continued striding upwards with an increase in buying activities driven by panic from the rising Omicron cases. Though the demand fundamentals projected optimism throughout the quarter, a marginal relief in the Nonylphenol Ethoxylates prices, which were assessed as USD 1857/MT on FOB basis in Germany, had been observed during December in response to the gradually weakening raw material market with improving supply dynamics.
