China’s June petchem imports mixed, naphtha intake nearly triples
Nurluqman Suratman
29-Jul-2013
SINGAPORE (ICIS)–China’s imports of major petrochemicals were mixed in June, with the intake of key production feedstock naphtha almost tripling on a year-on-year basis, according to official data.
The country took in 345,735 tonnes of naphtha in June, representing almost a threefold increase from a year earlier, according to data from China Customs. (please see table below)
Imports of ethylene was up by 20% year on year to 129,061 tonnes in June, while imports of propylene rose by 30% to 189,147, the data showed.
Meanwhile, imports of toluene fell by 21% year on year to 64,253 tonnes in June, while the intake of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) fell by 56% to 161,909 tonnes.
China, the world’s second biggest economy, is a major importer of petrochemicals in Asia.
The country’s overall exports and imports unexpectedly fell in June this year, weighed by the slowdown in demand from the major industrial economies.
China’s overall exports fell 3.1% year on year in June while imports were down by 0.8%, according to the General Administration of Customs.
The country’s economy is likely to expand by 7.7% this year, slightly slower than the 7.8% clip in 2012 amid slowing trade, the Asian Development Bank said earlier this month.
Its export and import activities have slowed down because of weak external demand, but the ADB noted in its latest Asian Development Outlook Supplement that consumer confidence in the country continues to be robust.
China’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) dropped to 50.1% in June, down from 50.8% May, indicating a further slowdown in the country’s manufacturing activities, according to the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing (CFLP).
The new orders index declined by 1.4 percentage points to 50.4% in June, and production index dropped to 52.0%, down by 1.3 percentage points from the previous month, it added.
2013-June |
Import |
Export | ||||
Product |
Import (tonnes) |
YoY growth (%) |
MoM growth (%) |
Export (tonnes) |
YoY growth (%) |
MoM growth (%) |
Naphtha |
345,735 |
162% |
29% |
29,588 |
0 |
-66% |
Ethylene |
129,061 |
20% |
-11% |
31 |
818% |
193650% |
Propylene |
189,147 |
30% |
-6% |
0 |
– |
– |
Butadiene |
12,882 |
-8% |
-53% |
1,461 |
-73% |
– |
HDPE |
414,909 |
41% |
5% |
10,972 |
-8% |
-11% |
LDPE |
133,715 |
6% |
3% |
3,377 |
-42% |
-29% |
LLDPE |
153,409 |
-5% |
-11% |
2,131 |
-50% |
-64% |
PP |
369,705 |
14% |
-5% |
15,468 |
4% |
-8% |
PVC |
73,804 |
1% |
15% |
56,273 |
177% |
-3% |
EPS |
5,867 |
-2% |
-10% |
26,528 |
0% |
8% |
Benzene |
15,112 |
158% |
-81% |
2,883 |
-2% |
-51% |
Toluene |
64,253 |
-21% |
-2% |
38 |
-98% |
9% |
PX |
646,413 |
34% |
-6% |
20,773 |
36% |
38% |
SM |
332,998 |
1% |
3% |
0 |
-100% |
-100% |
PTA |
161,909 |
-56% |
-16% |
10,922 |
– |
44% |
MEG |
601,431 |
-1% |
-19% |
154 |
-13% |
-40% |
ACN |
40,597 |
9% |
3% |
0 |
– |
– |
Capro |
30,042 |
-33% |
17% |
504 |
– |
-2% |
Phenol |
27,800 |
-51% |
-13% |
235 |
-97% |
59% |
Methanol |
275,337 |
3% |
-40% |
175,902 |
1574% |
707% |
Acetone |
39,630 |
3% |
-16% |
55 |
3% |
28% |
BPA |
44,033 |
20% |
-19% |
6 |
-98% |
-80% |
IPA |
8,581 |
154% |
63% |
73 |
-34% |
11% |
MEK |
8 |
-95% |
-99% |
12,097 |
110% |
146% |
Base oil |
134,099 |
-12% |
-32% |
2,607 |
-63% |
-68% |
MMA |
14,809 |
-8% |
-32% |
4,682 |
-3% |
43% |
PMMA |
18,200 |
-12% |
-9% |
1,154 |
-51% |
2% |
GAA |
2,627 |
-35% |
22% |
17,419 |
245% |
-2% |
Butyl-A |
276 |
-8% |
8% |
4,872 |
19% |
40% |
2EHA |
2,009 |
-2% |
247% |
222 |
-64% |
-68% |
2-EH |
11,430 |
-53% |
-52% |
532 |
-50% |
-65% |
NBA |
48,570 |
96% |
-4% |
131 |
27% |
62% |
PA |
5,633 |
70% |
-13% |
9 |
-95% |
80% |
DOP |
4,994 |
-49% |
-60% |
413 |
-41% |
-46% |
Polysilicon |
4,801 |
-31% |
-18% |
140 |
-24% |
-68% |
Alkylbenzene |
3,278 |
72% |
133% |
9,864 |
58% |
-33% |
Anionic surfactants |
5,023 |
-19% |
-2% |
10,754 |
3% |
-22% |
Butyl glycol ether |
13,137 |
74% |
12% |
24 |
-88% |
1100% |
Additional reporting by Dolly Wu
Read John Richardson and Malini Hariharan’s blog – Asian Chemical Connections
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