Butyl Glycol Price Trend and Forecast

Butyl Glycol Regional Price Overview

Get comprehensive insights into the Butyl Glycol  market, with a focused analysis of the Butyl Glycol  price trend across Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Butyl Glycol Price Trend for the Q4 of 2024

Asia

In Asia, Butyl Glycol prices showed an upward trajectory during Q4’24, primarily driven by robust demand from downstream industries. The market gained support from increased manufacturing activities in China, where the PMI data indicated expansion after a prolonged period of contraction.
 

Butyl Glycol Price Chart

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The paint and coating sector witnessed heightened seasonal demand, while the automotive industry's recovery further boosted consumption. Feedstock prices remained firm throughout the quarter, adding cost pressure to Butyl Glycol production.

Europe

European markets experienced mixed sentiment for Butyl Glycol during Q4’24. Despite improved business confidence and the ECB's interest rate cuts stimulating industrial activity, demand remained moderate due to winter slowdown in construction activities. However, production costs stayed elevated due to high energy prices and feedstock ethylene oxide constraints. Supply chain disruptions caused by Red Sea shipping routes affected product availability, leading to extended lead times and increased logistics costs.

North America

North American Butyl Glycol market faced significant challenges during Q4’24. The labor strikes at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports complicated supply chains, causing delivery delays and inventory management issues. The announcement of Dow's planned shutdown of its propylene oxide unit in Freeport created uncertainty about future feedstock availability. However, steady demand from the pharmaceutical and cleaning products sectors provided some stability to the market.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the Butyl Glycol market is expected to remain tight in early 2025, with supply constraints and shipping disruptions continuing to influence prices. However, potential improvement in feedstock availability and stabilizing logistics could ease market pressure by Q2 2025.
 

Butyl Glycol Price Trend for the Q3 of 2024

Asia

The Asian domestic market witnessed an upward trend throughout the quarter, primarily driven by rising ethylene oxide prices. Despite declining butanol feedstock costs, the surge in ethylene oxide prices significantly impacted production costs. The region continued to manage supply levels while experiencing moderate demand from downstream sectors including personal care and paints.

Weather-related disruptions in some production facilities added further complexity to the supply chain dynamics, contributing to the overall bullish price trajectory of butyl glycol.

Europe

Following global trends, the European markets experienced price increases during the quarter, mainly influenced by rising feedstock prices. Supply remained generally stable, but increased production costs pushed prices higher despite moderate demand levels.

North America

The butyl glycol market in North America maintained its upward momentum from Q2, further strengthened by continued constraints in feedstock availability. Production costs remained elevated due to the ethylene oxide situation, while demand from mono ethylene glycol and ethoxylates sectors remained steady which impacted the overall price trajectory for butyl glycol.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price of Butyl Glycol is expected to remain sensitive to ethylene oxide price movements in the near term. While other factors like butanol prices and downstream demand play a role, the ethylene oxide supply-demand balance continues to be the primary price driver in the market.
 

Butyl Glycol Price Trend for the Q2 of 2024

Asia

The Asian domestic market experienced significant downward pressure throughout the quarter, characterized by persistent oversupply issues. The region struggled with surplus inventory levels while facing sluggish economic activity in key downstream sectors, particularly personal care and paints. Further, the off-season of the market impacted the downstream demands.

Supply chain complexities from plant shutdowns added further volatility to the already challenging market environment, while falling feedstock costs contributed to the downward price trajectory of butyl glycol.

Europe

Just like its Asian counterpart the European markets witnessed a substantial decline through the quarter, owing to a combination of factors such as weak demand and oversupply conditions. High inventory levels amidst falling trading activity readily impacted the market and thereby, the price. The absence of significant supply disruptions maintained steady product availability, further contributing to the bearish market conditions.

North America

The butyl glycol market in North America observed a positive price trajectory contrary to the global trends. This upward momentum was primarily driven by constraints in feedstock ethylene oxide availability, despite a moderate decline in butanol feedstock prices. Maintenance shutdowns at production facilities disrupted upstream ethylene supply chains, while steady demand from mono ethylene glycol and ethoxylates sectors aided the production costs. However, the construction industry's subdued performance, coupled with weakening demand for paints and coatings, provided some resistance to the overall bullish trend.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price of Butyl Glycol is likely to behave in a similar manner going forward. The downstream demand will turn positive which coupled with other macroeconomics factors will readily impact the concerned market.
 

Butyl Glycol Price Trend for the Q1 of 2024

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Asia

The Asian countries remained resilient amid the consistently challenging conditions in the market, which eventually led to the fluctuation of butyl glycol prices in a narrow range during the first quarter of 2024. The traders throughout this time were concerned about the oscillating cost of feedstock chemicals and the changing global scenario of crude oil trade and pricing trajectory.

Further, the growth of the domestic industrial sector was slow as compared to the rising inflationary pressure. In China, a number of chemical giants also announced a hike in their quotations of base chemicals in order to sustain under pressure, raising the overall cost of production of butyl glycol. Additionally, the export sector of the region also showcased skeptical movement as the number of shipments leaving the Asian ports declined amid the disruption of the Red Sea route.

Europe

In European countries, particularly Germany, the increase in the prices of upstream and downstream materials was well reflected in the slow but gradually inclining trajectory of the butyl glycol price trend. The feedstock materials also experienced robust growth in their market activities which further favored the rise in butyl glycol price trend.

Another factor that weighed in in the upward journey of the butyl glycol prices was the negligible influx of Russian crude oil in the European countries and limited imports from the Asian countries as well due to the disruption of the Red Sea route. This eventually led to the incline in the cost of production of butyl glycol and kept its price trend on the higher end of the pricing spectrum.

North America

The butyl glycol prices experienced a bullish price trend across the USA primarily driven by complexities in the upstream, operations, and logistics segments, failing to meet the robust downstream demand. In the USA, extreme weather conditions led to production unit shutdowns or reduced capacities for key players like Dow Chemical, Indorama Venture, etc.

This resulted in a supply shortage, especially for downstream sectors like polyester and polymer industries. In addition to the constrained supply and increased local demand, a significant upsurge in the cost of base and feedstock chemicals in the region also favored the inclination of the butyl glycol price trajectory.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Butyl Glycol is expected to face the consequences of a gradual rise in inventory levels and meek demand dynamics of the downstream industries in the next few quarters.
 

Butyl Glycol Price Trend for the October - December of 2023

Asia

The Asian countries depicted a slight recovery in butyl glycol prices, especially in China. The industrial sector of China slowly recovered from the glitches in the last quarter as the demand for butyl glycol improved and the downstream solvent and coatings industries increased their appetite. Additionally, the region worked efficiently towards raising its export rates as, along with the domestic demand, the interest of international players showcased slow but steady rates during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Europe

The European butyl glycol market faced a declining trend in the initial months of the fourth quarter due to lower costs of raw materials and poor demand. The number of inquiries from downstream industries such as PET and surfactants also took a fall during this phase and thus contributed to bearish market sentiments. However, as the quarter progressed towards completion, there was a slight rebound in the quoted butyl glycol prices, particularly based on the slow and steady recovery of the market, which helped in the rise in the butyl glycol price trend.

North America

The beginning of the fourth quarter of 2023 did not bring any relief for the butyl glycol market as its prices continued to decline. The major cause of the fall was attributed to the poor market dynamics of the feedstock industries and the low rate of procurement from the end-user sectors. Additionally, the export rates also suffered from the lower water levels in the major exporting routes and a double-digit decline in the prices of crude oil and natural gas.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Butyl Glycol will likely take on an upward trajectory in the upcoming quarters as the demand and cost of feedstock materials are expected to improve.
 

Butyl Glycol Price Trend for the July - September of 2023

Asia

The third quarter of 2023 faced a steep decline in the butyl glycol price trend. The butyl glycol regional prices suffered from the ill consequences of the lower number of inquiries from the downstream industries and a sufficient number of stockpiles. Further, the trading activities also seemed to have undergone a period of stress, as was evident in the number of exports and demand from the overseas sector. In the later phase of this quarter, the demand scenario of butyl glycol started to improve and incline, giving the butyl glycol price trend its required support.

Europe

The trading activities of butyl glycol in the European region declined, resulting in the falling trajectory of the butyl glycol price graph. In view of weak demand from both domestic and overseas players and abundant stocks in the region also escalated the downfall of butyl glycol price trend. However, similar to what was observed in the Asian countries, the market sentiments started to improve in the end months of this quarter. During this phase, the growth of butyl glycol price trend was supported by the incline in demand and procurement rates of the downstream industries.

North America

In North America, consumers showcased a poor interest in butyl glycol and its derivatives, which was effectively seen in their plunging procurement rates. The trading sentiments were feeble not only in the domestic market but in the overseas region, too. Due to the excessive supply of butyl glycol in the region, rising levels of inventories, and an almost negligible number of bulk orders, the manufacturers had to reduce their profit margins, causing a downfall in the butyl glycol price trend.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend of Butyl Glycol are estimated to take a bearish turn as the global trading sentiments of butyl glycol seem to be in the red zone.
 

Butyl Glycol Price Trend for the First Half of 2023

Asia

In the first quarter of 2023, the price trend of butyl glycol inclined as the positive demand dynamics of the downstream sector and costly imports from the European region raised the prices of butyl glycol. The level of stockpiles in the region also declined as the demand depleted the product's availability in the market, and some manufacturers and traders struggled to meet the demand.

However, in the second quarter, the price trend began to decline as the cost support from the raw material prices began to fall. In addition to this, the demand for the product also remained stagnant, and producers had to cut down their operation rates to curb the falling demand that caused the downfall of the prices of butyl glycol.

Europe

In the first two quarters of 2023, the price trend of butyl glycol followed a southward trajectory as the region suffered from the dooming shadows of recession and slow trade in the region. Further, the exports from the region also remained low. Additionally, the crude oil and petrochemical industries saw volatility in their market, and downstream industries also struggled to keep their demand at usual levels, which ultimately led to a fall in the prices of butyl glycol.

North America

Weak market fundamentals and a significant level of inventories in the region led to the rise in market uncertainties in the North American region. In addition, the producers also had to reduce their production output and price quotations in view of the market conditions.

The trade activities in the region also slowed down, and due to the reduced number of offtakes from commercial and household cleaning products, the butyl glycol market was caused to move southwards.

Analyst Insight

According to Procurement Resource, the price trend for butyl glycol are estimated to showcase a fluctuating trend as the global market dynamics seem weak, and the demand from the end-user sector also appears to be stagnant.

Procurement Resource provides latest prices of Butyl Glycol. Each price database is tied to a user-friendly graphing tool dating back to 2014, which provides a range of functionalities: configuration of price series over user defined time period; comparison of product movements across countries; customisation of price currencies and unit; extraction of price data as excel files to be used offline.