China petrochemical import demand softens in January

27 February 2012 10:55  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China's petrochemical import demand softened in January, industry sources said on Monday.

The world’s second-largest economy imported 93,172 tonnes of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in January, down by 42% year on year and by 29% month on month, according to data from China Customs released over the weekend.

Acrylonitrile (ACN) imports were at 40,020 tonnes in January, down by 33% year on year and by 15% month on month, the data showed.

“Many ACN factories in Asia shut down the plants for maintenance in January, which [caused] spot supply of ACN [to] decline,” a domestic ACN market player said. “The weak downstream during the country’s Lunar New Year also made ACN demand [decline].”

The country’s phenol and acetone imports dropped by 22% and 30% year on year to 53,299 tonnes and 57,796 tonnes respectively in January, according to the data.

Although benzene imports of 44,829 tonnes in January were down by 12% month on month, they more than doubled year on year, the data showed.

“Import benzene prices [rose] in December 2011, which [caused the] benzene import volume drop in January," said an industry source in the benzene market.

Other petrochemical imports that showed a year-on-year decline in January included propylene, styrene monomer (SM), bisphenol-A (BPA) and 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH).

2012-Jan	Import			Export
Product	Import (tonnes)	YoY growth (%)	MoM growth (%)	Export (tonnes)	YoY growth (%)	MoM growth (%)
Naphtha	362,674	33%	63%	87,692	50%	196%
Ethylene	107,869	1%	2%	0	-100%	-100%
Propylene	155,939	-6%	-25%	0
Butadiene	29,358	27%	-26%	4,047	-	-9%
HDPE	288,042	-13%	-22%	6,560	-4%	-37%
LDPE	116,859	10%	-9%	4,893	15%	11%
LLDPE	150,750	-29%	-28%	3,103	88%	13%
PP	282,795	-27%	-25%	9,350	-9%	-16%
PVC	93,172	-42%	-29%	13,789	28%	-24%
EPS	3,350	-47%	-41%	28,830	58%	-5%
Benzene	44,829	264%	-12%	3,428	-44%	-50%
Toluene	62,686	59%	1%	147	-3%	-21%
MX	13	550%	-32%	43	-99%	-62%
PX	449,415	17%	10%	14,320	-67%	-5%
SM	302,129	-8%	-21%	2	567%	-
PTA	435,126	-7%	-10%	0	-100%	-
MEG	708,726	7%	-4%	276	-89%	-44%
ACN	40,020	-33%	-15%	0	-	-
Caprolactam	64,864	20%	-6%	12	-98%	200%
Phenol	53,299	-22%	-20%	1,068	404%	209%
Methanol	400,133	2%	-18%	8,279	2045%	2409%
Acetone	57,796	-30%	-37%	84	91%	-51%
BPA	40,982	-20%	-30%	2	-100%	-98%
IPA	10,728	26%	30%	92	-16%	441%
MEK	1,604	-32%	522%	8,057	305%	74%
Base oil	156,537	-18%	15%	11,378	-25%	32%
MMA	9,991	11%	-43%	3,602	-7%	0%
PMMA	12,847	-36%	-33%	572	-43%	-55%
GAA	3,063	-39%	27%	3,285	49%	6%
BA	2,863	12%	-53%	623	-82%	9%
2EHA	753	-71%	-56%	54	-80%	-28%
2-EH	31,523	-10%	-25%	240	-82%	-22%
NBA	56,177	6%	10%	55	139%	-52%
PA	13,462	56%	-25%	143	204%	131%
DOP	5,875	23%	0%	225	-71%	-38%
Polysilicon	4,682	-15%	-23%	68	-61%	28%

Source: China Customs

By: Rachel Yang

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