I. Key Highlights
October 16: The conflict between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia continues, compounded by the Russia-Ukraine war, both of which elevate supply risks and drive up international crude oil prices. NYMEX WTI crude oil futures (November contract) rose by USD 3.44/bbl to USD 101.41/bbl, a week-over-week increase of +3.51%. ICE Brent crude oil futures (December contract) rose by USD 3.94/bbl to USD 109.86/bbl, a week-over-week increase of +3.72%. China INE crude oil futures (contract 2612) fell by CNY 2.2 to CNY 723/bbl in the day session but rose by CNY 16.8 to CNY 739.8/bbl in the night session.
October 16: The port-based ethylene USD CFR Northeast Asia price stood at USD 1,130/ton, unchanged from the previous working day.
October 16: The daily capacity utilization rate for China’s ethylene oxide (EO) industry was 55.9%.
II. Price Table
| Price Type | Product Name | Market Region | Pricing Basis | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 16, 2026 | Change | % Change | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Price | Ethylene Oxide | East China | Market Price | 9,700 | 9,700 | 0 | 0% | CNY/ton |
| Market Price | Ethylene Oxide | South China | Market Price | 9,700 | 9,700 | 0 | 0% | CNY/ton |
| Market Price | Ethylene Oxide | Central China | Market Price | 10,100 | 10,100 | 0 | 0% | CNY/ton |
| Market Price | Ethylene Oxide | North China | Market Price | 9,500 | 9,500 | 0 | 0% | CNY/ton |
| Market Price | Ethylene Oxide | Northeast China | Market Price | 9,500 | 9,500 | 0 | 0% | CNY/ton |
III. Market Outlook
The EO market is expected to remain stable today. On the supply side, units undergoing prior maintenance have not yet resumed operations. Shipments are primarily fulfilling earlier contracted orders, resulting in tight spot supply within the market. Downstream major industries are largely in a wait-and-see mode, with demand driven mainly by essential needs and procurement occurring on an as-needed basis; the prevailing atmosphere remains one of observation. Regarding costs, domestic ethylene prices are stable, placing no immediate pressure on market supply, while transactions are concentrated around essential purchasing needs. Overall, supported by the supply side, EO prices are expected to maintain their high-level trend. Continued attention should be paid to dynamic changes across the upstream and downstream sectors.
| Data Item | Release Date | Previous Period Data | Current Trend Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly Production | Thursday 16:00 PM | 122,200 tons | ↗ |
| Capacity Utilization Rate | Thursday 16:00 PM | 54.84% | ↗ |
| Profit Margin (Ethylene Procurement via Import Method) | Thursday 16:00 PM | CNY 1,890.9/ton | ↗ |
| Notes: 1. ↓↑ indicates significant fluctuation, highlighting data dimensions with changes exceeding 3%. 2. ↗↘ indicates narrow-range fluctuation, highlighting data dimensions with changes within 0–3%. |
Data Source: Chempricehub Information
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