Ethylene oxide: Trading
Too dangerous for traders: sold producer to user
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
- Producers' own derivative units (captive)
- Regional merchant sales within about 500 km
Who sells, and from where
- Ethoxylators, ethanolamine makers, sterilisation firms
Price benchmarks
| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| EO ex-tank East China | Argus / CCF | spot, daily/weekly |
| Europe purified EO contract | Argus / ICIS | monthly or quarterly contract, delivered |
| US purified EO contract | Argus / ICIS | monthly contract, delivered |
Exchanges
| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| none | no EO futures | MEG futures on Dalian (EG) are the nearest hedge |
Contract types
- Cost-plus contracts linked to ethylene
- Long-term pipeline or rail supply to neighbouring plants
Traders and distributors
- Few traders handle EO because of hazard; trade is producer to consumer
How Indian buyers price it
- Indian ethoxylators buy EO from Reliance, IOCL or India Glycols under term contracts linked to ethylene or import parity of ethoxylates (indicative).
- No DGTR duty on EO found.
Recent price points
| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | 56.20 c/lb (about $1,239/t) | US purified EO contract, delivered | Argus EO and Derivatives, Oct 2025 |
| Oct 2025 | €1,294/t | Europe purified EO contract, delivered | Argus, Oct 2025 |
| Oct 2025 | CNY 6,300/t (about $885/t) | ex-tank East China | Argus, Oct 2025 |
Good sources to follow
Argus EO and Derivativespaid research site · Argus MediaWeekly EO, MEG and derivatives prices and capacity (sample public)
Argus Chemicals podcastsfree podcast · Argus MediaEthylene chain outlooks
Hellenic Shipping Newsfree newsletter · Hellenic Shipping News WorldwideReposts ICIS weekly Asia petrochemical updates