The daily capacity utilisation rate for China's ethylene oxide industry was 55.9% as of October 16, 2026, according to ChemPriceHub. Market prices in East China and South China were stable at 9,700 yuan per tonne, while Central China was at 10,100 yuan per tonne and North and Northeast China at 9,500 yuan per tonne.
Units that had been under maintenance had not yet resumed operations, with shipments mainly fulfilling earlier contracted orders, resulting in tight spot supply.
Downstream major industries were largely in a wait-and-see mode, with demand driven mainly by essential needs and procurement on an as-needed basis.
Domestic ethylene prices were stable, placing no immediate pressure on the market, with transactions concentrated around essential purchasing needs. The EO market was expected to maintain its high-level trend, supported by the supply side.
Port-based ethylene CFR Northeast Asia stood at 1,130 dollars per tonne, unchanged from the previous working day, while NYMEX WTI crude futures rose to 101.41 dollars per barrel.
