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Home Commodities Chemicals Maleic-anhydride Maleic anhydride prices, markets & analysis

Maleic anhydride prices, markets & analysis

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The Maleic Anhydride markets are covered weekly by ICIS in Asia, Europe and the US. Our locally based reporters gather benchmark pricing assessments for both liquid and flake/molten material. Contracts are agreed in all three regions, while spot price updates are for Asia and Europe only.

The news and market intelligence that supports any price movements, gives details on demand, supply, regional updates, upstream activity, production news and any other influencing factors at the time of publication. This universally trusted insight ensures you have the information you need to make key strategic business decisions.

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Market Overview

Updated to Q4 2020

Asia

MA supply tightened from mid-November, as a number of regional plants started to shut for annual maintenance. However, export availability from China started to climb towards the end of the year, with China MA makers seeking to move cargoes overseas to make up for slowing sales locally.

MA demand rose in the quarter, supported by steady and robust recovery in downstream sectors like construction and automotive in various key regional outets, from China to India. Besides actively buying MA to drive ongoing production, some buyers also scrambled to secure more cargoes to replenish and rebuild inventories to healthier levels.

Europe

European MA supply has seen tightness settle in since September due to a demand surge in Europe and domestic producers’ failure to ramp operating rates back to full speed. This was compounded by significantly curtailed imports from Asia. Imports were cut significantly as China and India’s construction, automotive and electronics sectors revived, absorbing much of the global MA production.

Demand increased from a strong Q3 into an exceptional Q4. Many, however, put it in perspective with the dire Q2 demand and say they have not recovered their losses entirely. Demand from the construction sector has been supported with ambitious infrastructure plans and some government schemes. The automotive sector also contributed to the higher demand, while packaging, pharmaceutical, paper coating applications and some water treatment have seen stable demand from Q3.

US

US MA supply and demand were balanced as the economy continued to recover. Interest was heard for imports, but players had to contend with constrained and delayed overseas availability, along with raw material and freight inflation. Margins came under pressure as feedstock butane costs reached a high last seen in February 2019.

Positive momentum in the auto and construction sectors carried over into Q4. There was also a faster than expected recovery in durable goods demand. Buyers were restocking product after carrying lean inventory and working it off. Requests for material were healthy, as demand was recovering and the growth outlook was more positive.

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How we can help

Maleic anhydride news and market information products from ICIS

We offer the following regional Maleic anhydride analysis and news coverage to keep you informed of factors and developments affecting prices in the Maleic anhydride marketplace.

  • Price reporting

    More information about the price reports we publish on Maleic anhydride
    Independent price assessments and market coverage by region

    • Asia
    • Europe
    • US
  • Price history

    More information about the historical price data we publish on Maleic anhydride
    Track historical price data

    • Asia
    • Europe
    • US
  • News & analysis

    News & market analysis specifically relating to Maleic anhydride

    Breaking news of latest developments affecting the markets.

    Insight and analysis of factors driving prices.

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Services

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Pricing Intelligence

Pricing information

Regional price assessments, published daily or weekly, enabling you to keep track of trading prices, understand price drivers/fluctuations and set a benchmark for contract price settl ements. ICIS offers reports on over 180 commodities across the global petrochemical, energy and fertilizer markets. Information covered in our price reports includes:

  • Spot and contract price assessments
  • Market commentary on trends and developments
  • Transactions reported and confirmed
  • Plant and production news

Information is accessed online, via the ICIS dashboard service and is configurable to suit your preferences.

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Price forecast services

Produced by the ICIS Consulting team, these reports give a robust rolling 12-month price forecast, trade balances and in-depth analysis into where markets are heading – providing a valuable tool to support your short- to medium-term plans.

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Dashboard – Easy access to ICIS pricing data

ICIS pricing intelligence is delivered to you online via the ICIS dashboard. Here you can view your reports and also access other useful services including related news, analysis, historical data and market alerts.

ICIS dashboard also makes it easy for you to create pricing charts, download price history and export data to create tailored analytical models.

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ICIS weekly margin reports deliver the detail you need to understand how production costs and prices are affecting margins, enabling you to judge the likely impact on your business and optimise your upstream and downstream business decisions.

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The Supply and Demand Window on the ICIS Dashboard provides a snapshot view of historical and forecast information for supply and demand, production capacity and trade flows – a key tool to help safeguard future investments within the chemicals market.

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Industry News

 

24-hour global coverage of breaking news in the petrochemical industry, including updates on production, shutdowns and key transacted deals, keeping you informed of market developments as they happen. The ICIS news service allows you to customise the market alerts delivered to your email inbox, providing the business-critical information you need straightaway.

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Analytics

Supply & Demand Data

An expert view of supply and demand comprising four fully-reconciled databases, giving you access to extensive data for more than 100 markets. Information is included on global and regional trade flows, production, capacity and sources of demand in the short-, medium- and long-term. Data can be downloaded, customised and queried to support your planning requirements and your strategic decisions.

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ICIS provides specialist training courses across the global petrochemicals, base oils and fertilizers industries. Our training team of industry experts can help you increase your knowledge of the industry and gain the insight and know-how needed to operate and trade effectively.

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ICIS produces a series of highly informative and timely conferences. Extensive research is carried out to ensure that each programme delivers the information you need and addresses current industry issues. We source speakers who have the appropriate expertise and experience to deliver excellent quality papers.

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China markets

ICIS expert consultants can provide your organisation with the insight, intelligence and data needed to build and grow your business in China. We can help you to gain a clear view on the short and long-term supply and demand picture in the chemicals, energy, iron and steel, non-ferrous metals and paper and pulp markets in China.

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Methodology

ICIS price assessments are based on information gathered from a wide cross-section of the market, comprising consumers, producers, traders and distributors from more than 250 reporters world-wide. Confirmed deals, verified by both buyer and seller, provide the foundation of our price assessments.

Our in-depth market knowledge drives our specialist focus, as we recognise the importance of individual market dynamics and not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Over 25 years of reporting on key chemicals markets, including Maleic anhydride, has brought global recognition of our methodology as being unbiased, authoritative and rigorous in preserving our editorial integrity. Our global network of reporters in Houston, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Mumbai, Perth and Moscow ensures unrivalled coverage of established and emerging markets.

Maleic Anhydride Methodology

Maleic anhydride (MA) is derived from butane in the US. In Europe and Asia, MA is derived predominantly from butane units, although a small amount is produced by benzene units.

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About Maleic anhydride

Maleic anhydride (MA) occurs as colourless or white crystalline flakes with strong acrid (pungent) odour. It is soluble in acetone, ether, petroleum fractions and reacts with water, evolving heat and forming MA. It also dimerises to 1,2,3,4 -cyclobutane tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride in the presence of UV light.

MA is mostly used to make unsaturated polyester resins (UPRs). UPRs are used in a wide range of applications including bathroom fixtures and automobiles.

The second-largest outlet for MA is 1,4 butanediol (BDO) and derivatives tetrahydrofuran (THF) and gamma-butyrolactone (GBL).

MA is available as liquid (molten) or solid (flake): the liquid form dominates and accounts for 90-95% of the market, which is not easily transportable.

MA is produced commercially by the oxidation of benzene or butane. The butane-based process is considered to have superior economics and is the preferred route by most producers. However, a small amount is produced by the benzene route.

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