# Propylene: Trading

What propylene costs in Texas, Europe and Asia

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene/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

- US Gulf (Mont Belvieu PGP, export terminals)
- Korea and Japan cracker surplus
- Middle East (mostly as PP)

#### Who sells, and from where

- China and Taiwan (derivative plants)
- Southeast Asia
- India (derivatives, small volumes)

#### Price benchmarks

| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| **Propylene CFR China** | S&P Global Platts / ICIS | spot, daily/weekly |
| **Polymer-grade propylene Mont Belvieu** | OPIS, Platts, Argus | spot pipeline, daily; monthly contract |
| **Polymer-grade propylene NWE contract** | Platts/ICIS | monthly contract, FD NWE |
| **PP Raffia CFR Far East Asia** | Platts | spot, weekly |

#### Exchanges

| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Dalian Commodity Exchange** | Polypropylene futures (5 t lots) | most liquid proxy for propylene chain risk |
| **CME Group** | Mont Belvieu PGP and propane swaps (indicative) | propane swaps liquid; PGP thin |

#### Contract types

- Monthly contracts linked to naphtha or propane in Europe and US
- Spot cargoes on pressurised or semi-refrigerated LPG carriers
- Term propane supply deals for PDH (e.g. Wanhua with Kuwait Petroleum, Apr 2025)

#### Traders and distributors

- Vitol
- Trafigura
- Mitsui
- Mitsubishi Corporation
- Marubeni
- Sinochem

#### How Indian buyers price it

- Most Indian propylene is used captively by refiners; merchant sales are priced at import parity to CFR China or SE Asia.
- PP is sold on producer list prices (Reliance, IOCL, HMEL, GAIL) revised every one to two weeks.
- No current DGTR duty on propylene itself.

#### Recent price points

| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Nov 2025 | **23.75 c/lb (about $524/t)** | FD US Gulf Coast PGP | S&P Global Platts H1 2026 |
| 23 Dec 2025 | **€622.50/t** | NWE polymer grade | S&P Global Platts H1 2026 |
| Dec 2025 | **$700s/t (expected for 2026)** | CFR Asia | ChemOrbis Dec 2025 |
| Aug 2026 | **NE Asia import prices rose for two straight weeks; no level published** | CFR NE Asia | ICIS via Hellenic Shipping News, Aug 2026 |

#### Good sources to follow
[Platts Chemical Trends H1 2026](https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/special-reports/chemicals/chemical-trends-h1-2026/rationalisation/propylene)freemium research site · S&P Global Commodity Insights

Propylene, PDH and PP margins
[Mysteel Global](https://www.mysteel.net)freemium research site · Mysteel

Chinese propylene, PO and PP capacity and prices
[ChemOrbis plastics news](https://www.chemorbis.com/en/plastics-news)freemium research site · ChemOrbis

Asian olefins and PP prices
[Argus Chemicals podcasts](https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/energy-and-commodity-podcasts)free podcast · Argus Media

Olefin market outlooks

## Other sections

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