Huatai Futures : Les stocks portuaires de benzène pur restent élevés, le taux d'ouverture domestique diminue

Pure benzene remains at high levels in port inventories, while domestic pure benzene operating rates have begun to decline from high levels, with attention on refinery restructuring and maintenance. After South Korean cracking units undergo maintenance, focus on the progress of easing shipping pressure for Korean pure benzene. Downstream operating performance is acceptable, with phenol and adipic acid operating rates slightly declining from high levels, aniline maintaining high levels, and only caprolactam operating rates remaining low. There are still maintenance plans for styrene in March. Regarding styrene, port inventories continued to rise midweek, but domestic styrene maintenance is still planned for March, with concentrated maintenance in Europe and the US in April, and a subsequent inventory reduction is expected. Downstream rapid resumption of work, especially EPS, which has quickly rebounded, with EPS inventories low, facilitating smooth inventory reduction; PS inventory pressure has temporarily eased, with low operating rates rising; ABS inventory pressure has further decreased, with operating rates waiting to rise further; the three major thermoplastics have rapidly increased prices, with previous production losses somewhat recovered. (Huatai Futures)