In the early half of January xxxx, China experienced a notable surge of around x.xx in the prices of Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK), a solvent extensively used in formulating paints and coatings for automotive applications. This price hike attracted considerable attention from both consumers and industry experts, given the crucial role MEK plays in the automotive sector, particularly in the production of car bodies, bumpers, wheels, and other components. Further, some units in the MEK field were reportedly under maintenance, contributing to a partial shortening of the supply in the market. This reduction in supply, supported by factors on the supply side, led to a gradual ascent in MEK market prices. On the other side, feedstock Butanol prices experienced a downturn in the Taiwan market, a major supplier of butanol to China.
Despite an overall downward trend in upstream naphtha prices, China, a major naphtha importer, witnessed...
