# Propylene oxide: Trading

No futures: why polyol plants sit next door

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/propylene_oxide/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 (Shandong, East China)
- Korea
- Saudi Arabia (as polyols)

#### Who sells, and from where

- Polyol makers in Asia
- India (polyols and PG imports)

#### Price benchmarks

| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| **PO ex-works Shandong / East China** | OilChem, Mysteel, SunSirs | domestic spot, CNY/t |
| **PO CFR China / Asia** | ICIS / Platts | spot, weekly |
| **Europe PO contract** | ICIS | quarterly contract |

#### Exchanges

| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **none** | no PO futures | styrene futures on Dalian are the nearest liquid proxy |

#### Contract types

- Term contracts to captive or nearby polyol plants
- Spot ISO tank and small parcel trade in Asia

#### Traders and distributors

- Sinochem
- Mitsui
- Mitsubishi Corporation
- Itochu

#### How Indian buyers price it

- Indian buyers mostly import polyols and propylene glycol on CFR India terms linked to China prices (indicative).
- No current DGTR duty on PO confirmed in sources reviewed.

#### Recent price points

| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | **$1.005/kg ($1,005/t)** | Asia/China | Alchempro, Nov 2025 |
| early Oct 2025 | **about $1.13/kg ($1,130/t)** | Asia/China | Alchempro, Nov 2025 |

#### Good sources to follow
[Mysteel Global](https://www.mysteel.net)freemium research site · Mysteel

Chinese PO capacity and price news
[SunSirs](https://www.sunsirs.com)freemium research site · SunSirs China Commodity Data Group

Daily Chinese chemical prices including PO
[Alchempro industry articles](https://www.alchempro.com)free research site · Alchempro

Chemical price trends

## Other sections

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