For the Quarter Ending June 2023

North America

The Epichlorohydrin (ECH) market in the United States observed a decrease in its prices during the second quarter of 2023. This decline was mainly attributed to the reduced feedstock Propylene cost and increased production of raw glycerine. During this period, the price of feedstock Propylene decreased by around 18.5%, 12.8%, and 8.5%, respectively. As a result, the price of ECH decreased by approximately 5.5%, 1%, and 3.5% in April, May, and June, respectively. Furthermore, the lower consumption of products in downstream epoxy resin, paints and coatings, automotive, and building and construction sectors drove the market during this period. Moreover, the product supply in the country was high, and no shortage of material was noticed during this quarter. Moreover, the labor shortage in the USA and the US bank crises after the failure of Silvergate Bank, Signature Bank, and Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) disrupted the availability of financing and lending options for construction projects. Construction companies often rely on banks and financial institutions to secure loans and credit lines to fund their projects. SVB's failure led to a reduction in available credit or tighter lending standards. The construction industry faced challenges in securing the necessary capital for their projects, potentially leading to delays or cancellations of the demand for construction products. The decrease in demand for construction products directly impacted Epichlorohydrin prices.

Epichlorohydrin Prices: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/epichlorohydrin-55

APAC

In the second quarter of 2023, the Asian market experienced a decrease in Epichlorohydrin (ECH) price. In China, the prices of ECH increased by around 0.5% in April 2023. However, in May and June 2023, the product's price decreased by approximately 4%, and 9.5% also declined. The major reason behind this price trend was the lower cost of feedstock Propylene, as it declined nearly 3.1% and 7.8% in May and June 2023, respectively. With decreases of around 8% and 8.7% in May and June, respectively. The end-use construction industry was trying to get revived during this quarter but did not perform well due to sluggish overseas demand from USA and Europe. In India, the Price of ECH increased by around 1.2% in the first month of this quarter as the demand for the product from the downstream Epoxy Resin market increased, whereas the supply was moderate. In May and June 2023, the price of products decreased by around 1% and 4%, respectively, primarily due to declined value of feedstock Propylene as it decreased by approximately 3% and 8%, respectively, during these two months. In the last month of this quarter, the price of Epichlorohydrin CFR JNPT (India) was hovering around USD 928.98/MT.

Epichlorohydrin Prices: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/epichlorohydrin-55

Europe

In the second quarter of 2023, the European Epichlorohydrin market experienced a bearish market trend in the first month of this quarter as feedstock Propylene prices declined by around 5.5%. Furthermore, macroeconomic factors such as high inflation negatively affected consumer spending, further contributing to the bearish sentiment in the market. The buying momentum from derivative sectors, particularly constructions, and consumer goods, has significantly weakened as many buyers prioritize maintaining minimal inventories and acquiring materials only when necessary. The strike by dock workers at the Port of Hamburg, Germany, is the nation's busiest and the second busiest in Europe. This strike impacted the export of Epichlorohydrin and further helped to decline the product's price in the country. However, in the last two months of this quarter, the market situation was bullish prices increased by 1% and 3.8%, respectively, due to increased demand for products from overseas as the USA fulfilled most of the Epichlorohydrin demand from Europe. However, the supply was limited in the region.