Tauber to hike US prices for toluene, xylene

09 May 2006 18:14  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--Tauber was seeking US price increases for toluene and xylene as the phase-out of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) as a gasoline blend continued to drive the market, a Tauber source said on Tuesday.

The price hike was scheduled to begin 15 May and would increase the price of US Gulf Coast toluene by 2 cents/pound ($44.08/tonne) and the price of xylene by 1 cent/pound ($22.04/tonne).

The MTBE phase-out “has refiners looking for all the [toluene and xylene] additives they can get,” the source said.

Toluene, xylene are among the additives in demand as gasoline octane boosters as refiners move away from MTBE as an additive.

Gulf Coast spot prices for toluene for the week ended 2 May ranged from 41 cents/pound to 42 cents/pound, according to information from global chemical market intelligence ICIS pricing. Gulf Coast xylene prices ranged from 43 cents/pound to 44 cents/pound.

Toluene and xylene producers in North America include FHR, Citgo, ExxonMobil, Sun and Tauber.

By: Gene Lockard
1 713 525 2653

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