# Benzene: Trading

The March 2026 price spike, day by day

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/trading/

What this tab covers How it is bought and sold: buyers and sellers, price benchmarks and who publishes them, exchanges, contract types, traders, how Indian buyers price it, recent price points, and good sources to follow.

#### Who buys, and where

- China (largest importer)
- United States (when arbitrage opens)
- Taiwan and Southeast Asia

#### Who sells, and from where

- South Korea
- Japan
- India
- Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Oman)
- Thailand

#### Price benchmarks

| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| **Platts benzene FOB Korea** | S&P Global Platts | spot, daily |
| **Platts benzene CIF ARA** | S&P Global Platts | spot, daily |
| **US Gulf Coast benzene prompt month** | OPIS and Platts | cents per gallon, daily |
| **OPIS FOB Korea benzene** | OPIS | spot, daily |
| **Sinopec East China list price** | Sinopec (reported by OPIS and S&P Global) | producer list, yuan/t |

#### Exchanges

| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Dalian Commodity Exchange** | Pure benzene futures and options (approved June 2025) | Contract size not confirmed in sources reached; the April 2026 contract (BZ2604) hit its limit-up at CNY7,546/t on 6 March 2026 (S&P Global). |

#### Contract types

- Term contracts priced on monthly Asian Contract Price (ACP) or average of Platts/ICIS assessments
- Spot cargoes, typically 5,000 t lots in Asia
- European monthly contract price (indicative)
- US monthly contract and spot barges

#### Traders and distributors

- Glencore
- Vitol
- Trafigura
- Mitsui
- Sumitomo
- Integrated producers' own trading arms (Sinopec Chemical Commercial Holding, SK)

#### How Indian buyers price it

- Indian producers price domestic benzene at export parity to Asian markers (FOB Korea or CFR China) less freight; buyers such as LAB, cumene and phenol makers negotiate monthly against these markers (indicative).
- Benzene in India averaged about $830/t in Q1 2026, up 6.4% on Q4 2025 (IMARC).

#### Recent price points

| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Mar 2026 | **$832.67/t** | FOB Korea | S&P Global Platts |
| 6 Mar 2026 | **$967.67/t** | FOB Korea | S&P Global Platts |
| 6 Mar 2026 | **$1,031/t** | CIF ARA | S&P Global Platts |
| Q1 2026 | **$830/t** | India | IMARC |
| Apr 2026 | **$1,139/t (monthly average)** | FOB Korea | OPIS |

#### Good sources to follow
[OPIS Energy Market News (petrochemicals)](https://www.opis.com/resources/energy-market-news-from-opis/)freemium research site · OPIS (Dow Jones)

Weekly Asian benzene, naphtha and derivative analysis
[S&P Global Commodity Insights chemicals news](https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/chemicals)freemium research site · S&P Global

Platts aromatics price news
[Mysteel Global petrochemicals](https://www.mysteel.net/)freemium research site · Mysteel

China capacity, inventory and import data
[Asian Chemical Connections](https://www.icis.com/asian-chemical-connections/)free blog · John Richardson, ICIS

China-driven petrochemical cycles

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/cycles/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/benzene/links/index.md)