China June imports of key aromatics fall year on year
Nurluqman Suratman
26-Jul-2016
SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China’s imports of most aromatics in June fell on a year-on-year basis, with paraxylene volume down by 9% at 917,428 tonnes, official customs data showed.
Imports of benzene fell by 15% year on year to 118,512 tonnes in June, while those of toluene declined 20% to 43,681 tonnes, according to China Customs data.
On the olefins front, imports of key petrochemical feedstock ethylene surged by 46% year on year to 134,002 tonnes, while those of propylene were up by 21% at 249,700 tonnes.
China, which is the world’s second-biggest economy, is a major importer of petrochemicals.
Out of the 52 chemical products whose trades in China were tracked by ICIS, 27 registered declines in imports volumes on a year-on-year basis in Jun; 22 showed increases; and three were stable, based on China Customs data. (Please see table below)
China’s overall imports in June declined by 8.4% year on year in US dollar terms, while exports fell by 4.8%.
In Chinese yuan terms, exports for the month rose 1.3%, while imports fell 2.3%.
“Both exports and imports in RMB [renminbi] terms looked better, with outbound shipments eking a small gain, reflecting the influence of a weakening currency,” said Singapore-based UOB Group Economics & Markets Research.
“With tepid global demand and businesses proving reluctant to invest, the government has been stepping up spending to keep its growth target of at least 6.5% this year in sight,” it said.
China posted 6.7% GDP growth in the second quarter, unchanged from the first quarter and in line with the government’s full-year target of about 7.0%.
|
2016-June |
Import |
Export | ||||
|
Product |
Import (tonnes) |
YoY growth (%) |
MoM growth (%) |
Export (tonnes) |
YoY growth (%) |
MoM growth (%) |
|
Naphtha |
633,190 |
-3% |
4% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
Ethylene |
134,002 |
46% |
-5% |
2,305 |
– |
75009% |
|
Propylene |
249,700 |
21% |
2% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
Butadiene |
15,544 |
-26% |
-71% |
0 |
– |
-100% |
|
HDPE |
416,706 |
4% |
1% |
15,943 |
12% |
-1% |
|
LDPE |
155,789 |
-7% |
2% |
5,875 |
3% |
23% |
|
LLDPE |
190,129 |
10% |
-4% |
5,690 |
8% |
-19% |
|
PP |
361,584 |
-1% |
1% |
30,399 |
78% |
-11% |
|
PVC |
0 |
-1% |
-14% |
0 |
94% |
-4% |
|
EPS |
4,335 |
-4% |
40% |
25,421 |
18% |
6% |
|
Benzene |
118,512 |
-15% |
-26% |
17,410 |
196% |
508% |
|
Toluene |
43,681 |
-20% |
-39% |
1,966 |
1690% |
569% |
|
PX |
917,428 |
-9% |
-15% |
23,915 |
13% |
– |
|
SM |
240,341 |
0% |
-27% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
PTA |
34,332 |
-31% |
-7% |
61,715 |
-36% |
-9% |
|
MEG |
716,794 |
1% |
4% |
221 |
-95% |
70% |
|
ACN |
22,528 |
-24% |
-36% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
Caprolactam |
14,143 |
-13% |
-36% |
4 |
-52% |
-86% |
|
Phenol |
17,609 |
132% |
-12% |
12,245 |
715% |
76% |
|
Methanol |
901,314 |
104% |
-3% |
574 |
36% |
149% |
|
Acetone |
38,732 |
4% |
82% |
63 |
-94% |
90% |
|
BPA |
34,574 |
-2% |
-4% |
6 |
11% |
-61% |
|
IPA |
2,071 |
-68% |
8% |
3,194 |
371% |
33% |
|
MEK |
113 |
-34% |
-3% |
10,253 |
-3% |
514% |
|
Base oil |
267,032 |
14% |
-3% |
824 |
-35% |
-33% |
|
MMA |
12,230 |
-13% |
-40% |
2,474 |
14% |
-5% |
|
PMMA |
15,992 |
11% |
-4% |
1,238 |
36% |
-3% |
|
GAA |
2,920 |
64% |
160% |
5,782 |
42% |
-46% |
|
butyl-A |
238 |
1394% |
4% |
9,112 |
176% |
118% |
|
2EHA |
2,933 |
75% |
1452% |
219 |
-31% |
-66% |
|
2-EH |
14,014 |
-12% |
17% |
340 |
-85% |
-85% |
|
NBA |
21,924 |
-7% |
-5% |
2,040 |
110% |
3872% |
|
PA |
2,743 |
-62% |
46% |
182 |
366% |
-62% |
|
DOP |
10,763 |
-15% |
-11% |
865 |
125% |
-32% |
|
Polysilicon |
12,056 |
10% |
19% |
605 |
22% |
-18% |
|
alkylbenzene |
2,899 |
138% |
10% |
22,457 |
1% |
2% |
|
anionic surfactants |
6,023 |
-5% |
11% |
16,180 |
2% |
5% |
|
Butyl glycol ether |
11,414 |
6% |
5% |
191 |
4% |
-33% |
|
MIBK |
5,815 |
46% |
17% |
0 |
-100% |
-100% |
|
Ethyl acetate |
2 |
-86% |
-71% |
37,610 |
5% |
-8% |
|
TiO2 |
19,263 |
5% |
21% |
63,882 |
44% |
-10% |
|
Epoxy Resins |
20,421 |
3% |
5% |
5,938 |
-4% |
0% |
|
MA |
6 |
-85% |
-78% |
1,529 |
-51% |
-17% |
|
ECH |
1,509 |
53% |
19% |
72 |
70% |
– |
|
PET |
15,021 |
-81% |
-82% |
207,520 |
10% |
-10% |
|
Acetic Acid |
2,996 |
0% |
-65% |
16,087 |
-12% |
-16% |
|
VAM |
23,163 |
21% |
12% |
18,274 |
143% |
-2% |
|
Soda Ash |
43 |
-54% |
-100% |
210,018 |
18% |
30% |
|
EVA |
77,335 |
0% |
-1% |
5,251 |
15% |
-21% |
|
Iso-MX |
7 |
-67% |
-60% |
55 |
-7% |
1713% |
|
OX |
28,309 |
-34% |
57% |
0 |
– |
– |
|
Waste and scrap PET |
233,345 |
24% |
12% |
0 |
– |
– |
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