China’s petchem imports fall amid weak demand in Oct
Viola Pan
25-Nov-2014
SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Most of China’s petrochemical imports fell year-on-year in October, amid weak domestic demand, official data showed on Tuesday.
The import of dioctyl phthalate (DOP) dropped by 81% to 1,838 tonnes year on year in October, but up by 97% month on month, data from China Customs showed.
The decline in DOP imports was mainly due to the current sluggish downstream demand, while the month-on-month increase was helped by a few shipments that arrived in October compared with fewer imports last month, a DOP industry source said.
Meanwhile, import volumes of caprolactam decreased by 77% year on year to 9,609 tonnes, a 39% decline from the previous month, the data showed.
Benzene imports also declined by 76% to 26,665 tonnes on a year-on-year basis, falling by 41% month on month, the data continued.
Given the current weak domestic demand, the Chinese central bank has released an announcement on reducing the interest rate on 21 November, which improved market sentiment, industries sources said.
However, imports for some petrochemical products have seen an increase in October, such as butyl glycol ether and ethyl acetate, according to the data.
China’s imports of butyl glycol ether more than doubled to 15,035 tonnes year on year in October, while ethyl acetate rose by 52% to 34 tonnes, the data showed.
China’s petrochemical imports and exports in October 2014
|
2014-Oct |
Import |
Export | ||||
|
Product |
Import (tonnes) |
YoY growth (%) |
MoM growth (%) |
Export (tonnes) |
YoY growth (%) |
MoM growth (%) |
|
Naphtha |
559,791 |
48% |
13% |
0 |
-100% |
– |
|
Ethylene |
122,615 |
-8% |
14% |
3 |
429% |
-98% |
|
Propylene |
222,662 |
14% |
-12% |
10 |
– |
555% |
|
Butadiene |
10,388 |
-55% |
-32% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
HDPE |
348,232 |
-3% |
4% |
14,256 |
43% |
49% |
|
LDPE |
164,988 |
39% |
-7% |
5,307 |
40% |
29% |
|
LLDPE |
155,053 |
-16% |
-34% |
4,021 |
29% |
-2% |
|
PP |
401,366 |
-8% |
-6% |
14,788 |
-13% |
8% |
|
PVC |
57,563 |
-24% |
-10% |
76,065 |
81% |
-34% |
|
EPS |
3,753 |
-35% |
-31% |
25,311 |
15% |
10% |
|
Benzene |
26,665 |
-76% |
-41% |
0 |
-100% |
-100% |
|
Toluene |
44,723 |
-1% |
38% |
31 |
-69% |
-84% |
|
PX |
749,413 |
12% |
-26% |
5,130 |
5% |
– |
|
SM |
242,260 |
-12% |
-9% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
PTA |
65,425 |
-58% |
9% |
30,547 |
392% |
-7% |
|
MEG |
623,818 |
-10% |
-15% |
330 |
10% |
87% |
|
ACN |
35,681 |
-9% |
-15% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
Caprolactam |
9,609 |
-77% |
-39% |
16 |
229% |
266% |
|
Phenol |
11,339 |
-48% |
-43% |
1,916 |
904% |
85% |
|
Methanol |
361,263 |
22% |
-7% |
51,733 |
-15% |
-5% |
|
Acetone |
43,807 |
22% |
28% |
24 |
-43% |
-68% |
|
BPA |
50,714 |
6% |
-12% |
8 |
88% |
147% |
|
IPA |
5,069 |
-37% |
-30% |
4,314 |
259% |
24% |
|
MEK |
163 |
-35% |
3% |
9,444 |
152% |
140% |
|
Base oil |
145,440 |
-26% |
-47% |
1,320 |
16% |
-36% |
|
MMA |
22,451 |
32% |
-5% |
2,790 |
-26% |
67% |
|
PMMA |
18,431 |
7% |
-15% |
693 |
-42% |
-14% |
|
GAA |
975 |
-65% |
-70% |
6,321 |
49% |
52% |
|
butyl-A |
2,505 |
5% |
46% |
3,613 |
20% |
8% |
|
2EHA |
2,618 |
-22% |
37% |
256 |
272% |
-77% |
|
2-EH |
9,983 |
-22% |
-46% |
3,296 |
963% |
-66% |
|
NBA |
12,206 |
-31% |
-36% |
21 |
-31% |
-76% |
|
PA |
4,604 |
3% |
-19% |
5 |
-36% |
-88% |
|
DOP |
1,838 |
-81% |
97% |
221 |
-63% |
-17% |
|
Polysilicon |
8,070 |
51% |
-19% |
150 |
-47% |
31% |
|
alkylbenzene |
2,910 |
1% |
50% |
12,934 |
39% |
-34% |
|
anionic surfactants |
4,230 |
4% |
-6% |
18,232 |
57% |
4% |
|
Butyl glycol ether |
15,035 |
108% |
22% |
101 |
-13% |
443% |
|
MIBK |
3,738 |
2% |
-11% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
Ethyl acetate |
34 |
52% |
188% |
29,688 |
-27% |
-9% |
|
TiO2 |
21,174 |
47% |
14% |
42,894 |
22% |
-13% |
|
Epoxy Resins |
18,530 |
17% |
-30% |
3,402 |
-27% |
-21% |
|
MA |
50 |
9% |
23% |
2,403 |
154% |
63% |
|
ECH |
1,354 |
-9% |
-78% |
46 |
-67% |
64% |
|
PET |
14,929 |
-1% |
-9% |
172,838 |
24% |
29% |
Source: China Customs
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