Phenol and acetone: Trading
No futures, so how do buyers in Kandla price it?
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
- India
- Turkey
- Saudi Arabia
- Southeast Asia
Who sells, and from where
- Singapore
- Thailand
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- United States
- China (increasingly)
Price benchmarks
| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Phenol CFR India | OPIS, ICIS, Platts | spot, weekly |
| Phenol East China ex-tank | OPIS, ICIS | domestic, weekly |
| Phenol and acetone FD NWE contract | ICIS | monthly contract |
Exchanges
| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| none | no listed phenol or acetone futures found | Hedging is via benzene (Dalian) or propylene contracts. |
Contract types
- Monthly contracts linked to benzene and propylene formulas in Europe and US
- Spot cargoes in Asia (1,000-5,000 t)
- Term contracts with BPA and resin makers
Traders and distributors
- Mitsui
- Sumitomo
- Itochu
- Indian distributors in Kandla and Mumbai
How Indian buyers price it
- Indian buyers price at CFR India import parity; Kandla ex-tank prices in rupees per kg are the domestic reference (OPIS).
- Import parity at Kandla was about $832/t in December 2025 (OPIS).
- Anti-dumping investigations on phenol (Singapore, Thailand, South Africa, US) and acetone (Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan) were expected to start by end-2025 (OPIS).
Recent price points
| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | $800-842/t | CFR India spot | OPIS |
| Dec 2025 | Rs 83.50-84.50/kg | Kandla ex-tank | OPIS |
| Dec 2025 | CNY5,800/t | East China ex-tank weekly average | OPIS |
Good sources to follow
OPIS Energy Market Newsfreemium research site · OPISIndia and China phenol prices
S&P Global Chemical Trends (rationalisation series)free research site · S&P GlobalPhenol-acetone capacity and closures
Chemical Weeklypaid newsletter · Sevak PublicationsIndian chemical prices and projects
Indian Chemical Newsfree research site · Indian Chemical NewsIndian trade remedies and projects