Polyalphaolefins (PAO) Prices: During the Quarter Ending December 2023

In the USA market, a bearish trend prevailed in Q4 2023, primarily influenced by a reduction in production costs stemming from a decline in upstream crude oil prices. Additionally, the downturn in feedstock Ethylene prices had a notable impact on Polyalphaolefins (PAO) costs. Despite a stable PAO supply during the quarter, demand from the downstream lubricant industry remained relatively subdued, resulting in a balanced market situation.

The UAW strike affected production for three major players in the automotive sector, leading to a moderate to low PAO supply. However, supply stability was maintained in the USA market, with consistent demand from the downstream automotive and lubricant industry.

Get Real Time Prices of Polyalphaolefins (PAO): https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/polyalphaolefin-pao-1228

Nevertheless, buyers hesitated to engage in bulk purchases, influenced by year-end destocking sentiments among downstream and regional PAO buyers. Moreover, macroeconomic challenges like persistent inflationary pressure and elevated interest rates weakened end-users' purchasing power. As the quarter concluded, the price of Polyalphaolefins 4cSt FOB Oklahoma in the USA stood at USD 2742/MT.

In the APAC region, the PAO market maintained a stable pricing trend during Q4 2023, characterized by slight yet significant fluctuations. This stability was attributed to ample PAO supplies, low demand from downstream industries, and the anticipated decrease in Ethylene prices. The Chinese PAO market remained stagnant due to subdued demand in the downstream automotive and lubricant industry, along with low production rates contributing to price declines. Despite a balanced overall market situation, muted demand towards the end of the quarter was influenced by the Christmas holiday. Notably, there were no reported plant shutdowns during this period, with the quarter-ending price of Amorphous Polyalphaolefins FOB Qingdao in China recorded at USD 2853/MT.

In Europe, the PAO market saw only marginal improvement during Q4 2023, maintaining a balanced situation with moderate supply. Stagnant demand from the lubricant sector, surplus material availability, and diminished downstream industry demand characterized the market. In Germany, despite sufficient supplies and subdued demand within the automotive and lubricant industry, a slight price increase was observed due to rising Ethylene and crude oil prices, along with elevated energy costs. Towards the end of the quarter, an upward trend was noted, driven by increased overseas market demand, especially in the lead-up to the festive season. No plant shutdowns were observed during this period, with the quarter-ending cost of Polyalphaolefins 4cSt in Germany recorded at USD 2548/MT on a FOB Dusseldorf basis.

Get Real Time Prices of Polyalphaolefins (PAO): https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/polyalphaolefin-pao-1228

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