n-Butanol Prices: Market Analysis, Trend, News, Graph and Demand

North America

The U.S. n-Butanol market witnessed a sharp decline of approximately 23%, despite the usual disruptions linked to the hurricane season. The primary driver behind the bearish trend was weak construction spending across the country, as the construction sector is a major consumer of n-Butanol. Unfavorable export conditions further compounded the downturn.

Labor disputes between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) led to suspended port operations, resulting in significant inventory build-ups across the supply chain. Midway through the quarter, global oxo-alcohol capacity expanded by 1.3 million tons annually with new facilities coming online, increasing global competition—especially from Asia—and placing additional downward pressure on U.S. prices.

Toward the year’s end, U.S. suppliers ramped up destocking efforts to avoid inventory devaluation and mitigate year-end tax liabilities. These combined factors deepened bearish market sentiment, further driving down prices.

Get Real time Prices for  n-Butanol: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/n-butanol-78

Asia-Pacific (APAC)

The Asian n-Butanol market experienced mixed movements during Q4 2024, with prices initially climbing 1.2% early in the quarter before retreating 2.8% by its close. In Japan, production costs rose in November due to a 1.1% increase in Propylene prices, driven by maintenance turnarounds and limited PDH operating rates in South Korea. Supply constraints intensified as Formosa Plastics (Taiwan) and Hanwha Solutions (South Korea) reduced output, while surging freight costs pushed up import prices. The Intra-Asia Container Index spiked 45% in November—from $573 to $829 per 40-foot container—amid pre-holiday demand.

In response to rising logistics and storage expenses, JNC Corporation raised its n-Butanol prices by ¥10,000/MT for October deliveries. However, tepid demand from the paints and coatings sector—affected by Japan’s sluggish construction activity—reversed earlier gains. Additionally, over 1 million tonnes of new oxo-alcohol capacity came online in China late in the quarter, exerting further downward pressure on prices. By year-end, Japan’s n-Butanol market had entered a downturn due to high input costs and subdued downstream consumption.

Europe

The European n-Butanol market—particularly in Germany—saw prices fall by around 16.5%, driven by oversupply amid soft demand. Following the resumption of OQ Chemicals’ operations in early May, the market failed to recover as demand from core sectors such as paints and coatings remained muted. The decline persisted through the quarter, with destocking efforts gaining momentum by mid-November.

Despite rising feedstock Propylene costs, producers struggled to pass on the increases to end-users. Closed arbitrage routes and inland logistical disruptions—exacerbated by maintenance at several Northwestern European ports—further impeded product flow, resulting in inventory accumulation and continued price pressure. Toward the end of the year, suppliers attempted to stabilize the market through production cuts, though with limited success. The region remained characterized by high stock levels and minimal outages, as suppliers prioritized bulk movement of inventories to mitigate tax-related burdens—contributing to the ongoing bearish market conditions.

Get Real time Prices for  n-Butanol: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/n-butanol-78

 

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