INTERACTIVE: Global IPEX up marginally in April as aromatics soar, olefins fall

LONDON (ICIS)–The Global ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX) rose marginally in April as underlying product price increases and falls were balanced out in a rising crude oil price environment.

• Aromatics prices higher in April on the back of crude oil
• Butadiene (BD) sharply lower in Asia, driving regional IPEX down
• China BD demand weak in April, inventories high
• Steep falls for US and northeast (NE) Asia ethylene
• Polyethylene (PE) gains globally

IPEX	IPEX Value	March to April change
Global	237.56	0.63%
US	236.12	2.13%
Northwest Europe	285.16	3.57%
Northeast Asia	219.27	-1.63%
Major price rises in April
Commodity	Region	Month on month rise
Benzene	Northwest Europe	14.09%
Toluene	US Gulf Coast	12.24%
Benzene	US Gulf Coast	11.39%
Major price falls in October
Commodity	Region	Month on month fall
BD	Northeast Asia	11.93%
Ethylene	Northeast Asia	7.39%
Ethylene	US Gulf Coast	6.54%

Global and regional IPEX data are available here
The ICIS Petrochemical Index methodology is available here

The ICIS petrochemical index tracks the movement of 12 major petrochemicals and polymers: ethylene, propylene, BD, benzene, toluene, paraxylene (PX), PE, polypropylene (PP), styrene, polystyrene (PS), methanol and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with the regional indexes weighted by capacity.