ICIS provides extensive coverage of the Styrene market. Weekly reports are published in Asia, China, Europe and the US. ICIS publishes monthly margin reports for Asia, Europe and the US as well as 12-month rolling series reports. The margin reports include short-term and long-term market analysis.
Weekly reports cover contract and spot assessments over the week and at the close of business on Friday. Our locally based expert reporters use market intelligence to give commentary on deals, international trade, production news, supply and demand trends, as well as upstream and downstream developments. The up-to-date source of information is a reliable and vital tool in the decision-making process for your business.
Updated to Q1 2019
Asia
Supply in northeast Asia, especially South Korea and Taiwan, is likely to drop from end-February to March because of scheduled plant turnarounds. Cargoes from the Middle East may decrease in volume as well because of shutdowns. However, shoretank inventories at China main ports are likely to be long and that could neutralise the loss of production from the other makers.
Demand is likely to be slow until middle of February as end users limit their buying appetite and minimise stock accumulation before and during the Lunar New Year holiday period. However, buying activity is likely to pick up for March parcels because of replenishment after the holiday season. March is traditionally the start of the peak demand season for the EPS downstream as well. Demand outside of China may pick up as well as some end-users need to cover the production loss from northeast Asian suppliers.
Europe
Availability of styrene in Europe in the first quarter of 2019 is not expected to be as ample as it was in the fourth quarter. Derivative demand from the key polystyrene (PS) market picked up in the latter part of the fourth quarter, and is expected to continue at a decent level at the start of the new year, because of re-stocking and boosted by recent price decreases. The market will also be preparing for a slate of spring turnarounds.
First-quarter European styrene demand is likely to pick up compared with Q4, as players in the polystyrene (PS) and other derivative markets will be re-stocking after year-end de-stocking, and as the market prepares for a series of spring turnarounds. Demand in general is subject to a degree of uncertainty, with many questions regarding global macroeconomics.
US
Prices in the US styrene market are poised to peak in the first quarter as two planned turnarounds in the US Gulf will begin before the end of March. AmSty will begin a 45-day turnaround at its Louisiana plant at the end of January. Another producer will begin a planned turnaround in March.
The first quarter is typically a period of heavy exports by the US. The majority of shipments will move to Mexico during the first quarter, as it is by far the largest destination for US exports. Shipments to the country comprised 43% of total US exports during the first 10 months of 2018. Other top destinations will be China, the Netherlands and South Korea.
We offer the following regional Styrene analysis and news coverage to keep you informed of factors and developments affecting prices in the Styrene marketplace.
Price reporting
Price Reporting – More information about the price reports we publish on Styrene
Independent price assessments and market coverage by region
Price forecasts – Concise monthly forward-looking market outlook reports, detailing prices, supply & demand and trade for the next 12 months.
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Related products – You might also be interested in the information we publish on these related products
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Price history
Price History – More information about the historical price data we publish on Styrene
Track historical price data
Specialist reporting
Other types of reports we cover for Styrene
Use margin reports to assess the profitability of commodities
News & analysis
News & Analysis – News & market analysis specifically relating to Styrene
Breaking news of latest developments affecting the markets. Insight and analysis of factors driving prices.
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Styrene is mainly used in the manufacture of homopolymers and copolymers. Its predominant use is in polystyrene (PS)
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This document is intended to provide methodology support for customers receiving the ICIS Weekly Margin – Styrene Asia report.
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This document is intended to provide methodology support for customers receiving the ICIS Weekly Margin – Styrene Europe report
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Ethane (or naphtha) with steam is fed into the cracker unit where ethylene and co-products (propylene, butadiene, benzene, etc.) are made. The ethylene and benzene from the cracker are then further processed (catalytic alkylation) to make ethylbenzene.
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Pure styrene is a colourless to yellow, oily liquid that evaporates easily and has a sweet smell. Styrene is highly flammable, forms explosive mixtures in air, is dangerous when exposed to flame, heat or oxidants and on decomposition, emits acrid fumes.
Styrene is mainly used in the manufacture of homopolymers and copolymers. These include polystyrene (PS), expandable polystyrene (EPS), styrene copolymers (such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resins, styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) and styrene-butadiene latexes), styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and unsaturated polyester resins.
Styrene is produced predominately by ethylbenzene (EB)-based technology. EB is first made by the catalytic alkylation of benzene with ethylene and then dehydrogenated to styrene. The coproduction of styrene with propylene oxide (PO) by the PO/SM process had been gaining popularity.
Benzene
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
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