Chemicals Updates

Asian Styrene Monomer: Prices dip amid sluggish demand, crude oil decline / China port inventories rise 2,400 mt WOW / ABS plant rates fall to 57.28% on soft demand

May 20, 2026

Styrene monomer CFR China and FOB Korea at $1,255/mt and $1,280/mt, respectively, on May 13, both down $10/mt day over day, tracking the movement in the adjacent domestic China market. The June EB2606 SM futures contract listed on the Dalian Commodity Exchange was at Yuan 9,317/mt May 13, declining Yuan 120/mt day over day, as of the afternoon trading session at 3 pm Beijing time. Styrene prices tracked a decline in the crude oil market, two China-based trade sources told. "Crucially, the Trump-Xi meeting is weighing on the market," a China-based trader said. The front-month ICE July Brent futures contract edged 9 cents/b lower from the previous Asia close to $106.89/b on May 13. Crude fell in midafternoon trading in Asia May 13 as investors were looking forward to the...

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