Benzyl Acetate Price Trend and Forecast

Regional Price Overview

Get the latest insights on price movement and trend analysis of Benzyl Acetate in different regions across the world (Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa).

Benzyl Acetate Price Trend for the Second Half of 2023

Asia

Benzyl Acetate prices exhibited a mixed performance during the second half of the year 2023. The Asian market started on a positive note in the third quarter as both Indian and Chinese benzyl acetate market performance was rather inclining. However, as the months progressed, the price trends also started dipping.

Benzyl Acetate Price Chart

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The price patterns mostly followed the market’s demand trajectory, which plunged rapidly in the latter half of the given period. Along with the overstocked inventories, the freight curtailments were also the reason the export orders were hampered during the last quarter. The Red Sea crisis grew consistently, and other geopolitical disturbances also influenced the trading situations. Overall, a vacillating market run was witnessed in H2’23.

Europe

The European benzyl acetate market was not much different from the Asian market trends. The price trend was inclining during the third quarter; however, it shifted southward during the last quarter. The feedstock benzyl alcohol and acetic acid prices dictated these market trends along with the difficult global supply chain scenario, particularly in the last quarter. For most periods, however, the prices tottered between confined limits.

North America

The North American price trend for benzyl acetate was not much different from its Asian and European counterparts. The prices fluctuated throughout the said duration here as well; the New Year holiday season called for declined industrial demands from the downstream coating and polymer industries in the ending months, causing the price curve to waver at the lower side of the scale.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Benzyl Acetate price trends are likely to stabilize going forward as the demands are expected to rebound given the improving economic scenarios.

Benzyl Acetate Price Trend for the First Half of 2023

Asia

The price trend for Benzyl Acetate are highly dependent on that of its feedstocks, benzyl alcohol, and acetic acid. The market remained fluctuating throughout the first half of 2023. The first quarter witnessed generally upward-wavering trend as the trade normalization started after a long period of decline in 2022 in the Asian market. So, a healthy supply-demand dynamic coupled with eased freight situation and stable market offtakes supported the market trend.

However, by the middle of Q2, inventories got saturated, and the demand from downstream solvent industries declined, so the prices started plummeting and continued the same downward wavering trend for the rest of the said period. Overall, the benzyl acetate prices remained mixed in the Asian region.

Europe

The European Benzyl Acetate market also witnessed similar oscillating price patterns in the first two quarters of 2023. In Q1, the price fluctuations remained mostly high swinging because the Chinese imports were limited given the Lunar New Year holidays, and also, the inventories were being regularly utilized to cater to the increasing demands. But as the middle of Q2 approached, a decline in demand and increased supplies started pushing the prices down, and the market observed a low-hinging oscillated pattern for the rest of the said period.

North America

The North American market behaved no differently than the other global markets for Benzyl Acetate price trend. The market exhibited mixed behavior as the prices kept falling and rising throughout the first quarter, mostly swinging high per the downstream demands. But set on a declining trajectory post-April in the second quarter as the inventory stocks rose.

Analyst Insight

According to the Procurement Resource, the Benzyl Acetate prices are expected to behave in a similar oscillating manner as the downstream demands are going to remain the major driving force given the improved upstream situation.

Benzyl Acetate Price Trend for the Year 2022

Asia

Benzyl Acetate prices remained unsettled in the first half of the year 2022. As the Chinese government implemented an absolute lockdown to contain Covid 19 pandemic, the market got disrupted, trade activities halted, and the inventories became immovable. So, the prices saw a steep decline in the first half of 2022 for Benzyl Acetate. Even after the lockdown was lifted at the beginning of Q3 market could not revive immediately, and stagnancy in prices was seen. The same downward trend continued in Q4, where the prices fell as production took time to restart and no immediate demands turned up.

Europe

The European Benzyl Acetate market witnessed mixed price patterns in the first half of 2022. European markets, in general, were negatively impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As a result, the gas and energy prices shot across the roof, and upstream costs increased for all the commodities.

Benzyl Acetate prices remained fluctuating as the market demand remained dull owing to the rise in costs of living and altered consumption patterns. Prices remained low, hinging for most of the year, and only in the later Q4, some economic rebound was witnessed as the Chinese industries started reviving and new trade routes got re-established. Overall, muted market sentiments were observed.

North America

In North American markets, fluctuating price patterns for Benzyl Acetate were observed as the inflation in European markets directly impacted American markets. Prices inclined in most of the first half of 2022 as the energy prices and upstream costs hiked. But in the middle of Q3, as the Chinese market started opening up, prices began to decline and remained oscillating on the lower side for the rest of the said period.

Analyst Insight

According to the Procurement Resource, the Benzyl Acetate prices are expected to oscillate as the market strives for normalcy. Also, trade and freight revival are expected to support the market growth.

Benzyl Acetate Prices (Q4 2021)

Asia

In Q4 2021, in Asia, Indian Benzyl market prices were recorded at 1520 USD/MT on an average from October to November. Prices of AA in Asia slowed in Q4 due to weakening demand. Laxmi Organics, a leading Indian company, imported large quantities of it from Celanese PTE Ltd. to meet their acetyl derivatives need.

In the near term, a drop in Chinese AA prices was projected to keep downward pressure on both imported and local offers. The negative raw material supply in the global region, as a result of weak export activity in India, South Korea, and Belgium, had an impact on prices. The derivative prices, primarily ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, also stabilised.

North America

In Q4 2021, the US benzyl acetate market price was recorded at 1331 USD/MT. With poor demand and ample supply in North America, the price trend had been steadily declining. However, when compared to the same year's Q2 and Q3, the prices were on the high side. Prices rose because to limited supplies and concerns about the omicron Covid-19 version.

Although US acetic acid production had already gradually resumed, accessible amounts for export to Europe remain limited. This was owing to poor production rates caused by difficulty obtaining raw materials such as methanol, as well as regular maintenance. The prices in the US market were 1450 USD/MT FOB Texas and 1476 USD/MT FOB Louisiana.

Europe

AA prices in Europe spiked in October and November before starting to fall in December. In October and November, Germany's rates were 1805 USD/MT DDP Hamburg and 1845 USD/MT DDP Hamburg, respectively.

The prices increased to multi-month and multi-year highs across Europe as a result of a global supply shortage. The situation was exacerbated by long transportation periods and restricted freight capacity. The supply chain was still in peril, with reduced container availability and rising freight costs.

Benzyl Acetate Prices (Q1-Q3 2021)

Asia

In 2021, Indian benzyl acetate market prices were recorded at 1165 USD/MT in January and 1520 USD/MT in April. Throughout the first quarter, the supply of the raw material AA improved, but stayed balanced, as several key plants in China restarted after a turnaround since late December.

The demand in the APAC area had been driven by steady consumption from downstream sectors. Increased prices in the Asian market were caused by increased demand and the lack of supply of the raw material. Prices in India also continued to rise, with an average of 982 USD/MT on CFR JNPT basis. Due to the rise in the price of the feedstock methanol, the Asia Pacific market for the raw material saw an exponential growth in its prices in the third quarter of 2021.

Furthermore, in China, the shutdown of the Ningbo-Zhoushan port for nearly two weeks in August, as well as congestion at the country's other ports, caused a disruption in the supply chain, affecting AA availability in the region. Furthermore, in July, the factories in Guangxi and Anhui Huayi were shut down for roughly 3-4 weeks for maintenance, adding to market constraint. Due to a container constraint in India, high freight expenses contributed to the quarter's rising pricing trend.

North America

In 2021, the US benzyl acetate market price for the first three quarters was recorded at 1331 USD/MT from January to September. During the first quarter of 2021, regional raw material supplies were limited due to a lack of feedstock supply and rising methanol costs. Due to adverse weather conditions in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico, Celanese declared force majeure in mid-February and postponed the expansion of its new AA facility due to unfavourable market conditions.

In mid-February, CFR New York prices were approximately 930 USD/MT, while FOB Texas settlements were rangebound between 775-780 USD/MT due to persistently constrained supply. However, demand remained buoyant as major economies across the world normalised, owing to a robust increase in downstream VAM consumption as well as for delivering anticipated export orders.

After Hurricane Ida interrupted many manufacturing sites in August, the raw material supply in North America remained limited. Due to severe climate crises, the industrial infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico remained closed, resulting in a demand-supply imbalance. Acetic acid leakage at LyondellBasell's Texas plant in July, as well as concerns about delta variant spread, weighed on market sentiments. The prices have been influenced by raw material price increases all around the world. FOB U.S.A. prices soared to 430 USD/MT in September, demonstrating a steady increase since July, owing to a continuing supply constraint.

Europe

The raw material supplies in the European region were restricted in the first quarter of 2021, as imports from the United States were limited owing to plant outages, followed by sharply rising costs in the region. The increased demand for AA from downstream acetate sectors boosted overall demand for benzyl acetate. Due to intense rivalry in the local market, dealers in northwest Europe were keen to get additional volumes, resulting in an increase in prices across Europe.

Due to the shutdown of LyondellBasell's La Porte facility, one of the world's largest suppliers of AA, supply in the European region constricted in the third quarter of 2021. Furthermore, the Meishan terminal at Ningbo port was overburdened, resulting in a raw material shortage in Europe. Raw material price increases, combined with increased demand for downstream products, continued to cause ripples in the region's acidic acid pricing. In the fourth quarter, DDP-Germany increased monthly average pricing by 110 USD/MT.

Benzyl Acetate Prices Overview 2020

Asia

In 2020, Indian benzyl acetate market prices were recorded at 1720 USD/MT in January, 1660 USD/MT in April, 1593 USD/MT in July and 1495 USD/MT in October. As various factories resumed operations and ramped up production following protracted delays in several regions of Southeast Asia, the raw material acetic acid (AA) market sentiments grabbed the lead in the third quarter due to robust demand from the downstream industries.

In Q3 2020, Chinese AA operating rates improved significantly, staying around 80-82%, compared to the low 60s in the previous quarter. Increased activity in the Indian market, which reported robust performance from acetyl intermediates and downstream Vinyl Acetate Monomer, offered further support to its futures, which headed towards recovery (VAM).

North America

Benzyl acetate market prices in the United States in 2020 were 1593 USD/MT in January, which dropped to 1331 USD/MT in March. The second quarter saw a significant drop in quarterly numbers for major AA producers in the region, owing to a weakened acrylic acetyl chain segment, which fell by double digits year over year due to a persistent decline in industry pricing due to a deflationary environment for raw materials. Due to decreased demand in the United States and Canada, the North American market continued under pressure in the third quarter.

Europe

As players reported a jump in demand from downstream VAM makers, all main Middle Eastern AA manufacturing sites were running at improved rates. When compared to the previous quarter, prices increased dramatically, but customers appeared to be able to withstand the claimed increase. Depending on the feedstock and the buyer's reaction as the year drew to a close, some price relief could be seen in the approaching quarter.

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