# Styrene: Trading

Dalian futures and the benzene-plus-margin formula

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

- India
- Southeast Asia
- Europe (since 2024)
- Turkey
- Latin America

#### Who sells, and from where

- China (from 2025)
- United States
- Saudi Arabia and Kuwait
- South Korea
- Japan

#### Price benchmarks

| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| **Platts styrene FOB ARA** | S&P Global Platts | 5-30 days forward, daily |
| **Platts styrene CFR China and FOB Korea** | S&P Global Platts | spot, daily |
| **ICIS styrene Asia and Europe contract** | ICIS | spot and monthly contract |

#### Exchanges

| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Dalian Commodity Exchange** | Styrene futures (EB), launched 2019 (indicative) | Main hedging tool for Chinese producers and traders; contract details not confirmed in sources reached. |

#### Contract types

- Monthly contracts in Europe and US based on benzene and ethylene formula plus margin
- Spot cargoes of 2,000-5,000 t in Asia
- Term supply to PS and ABS converters

#### Traders and distributors

- Glencore
- Vitol
- Trafigura
- Mitsui
- Marubeni
- Producer trading arms

#### How Indian buyers price it

- Indian polystyrene and ABS makers buy at CFR India against Asian markers; no domestic producer sets a list price (indicative).
- Import duty and freight from the Gulf and Asia set landed cost; Gulf supply disruption in 2026 raised this cost (indicative).

#### Recent price points

| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Nov 2023 | **$990.50/t** | FOB ARA, 5-30 days forward | Platts via Chemical Week |
| 2 Mar 2026 | **$1,030/t** | Asia | S&P Global Platts |

#### Good sources to follow
[Chemical Week](https://chemweek.mydigitalpublication.com)paid research site · S&P Global

Plant closures and styrene market analysis
[OPIS Energy Market News](https://www.opis.com/resources/energy-market-news-from-opis/)freemium research site · OPIS

Asian benzene and styrene
[Asian Chemical Connections](https://www.icis.com/asian-chemical-connections/)free blog · John Richardson, ICIS

China styrene self-sufficiency
[Mysteel Global](https://www.mysteel.net/)freemium research site · Mysteel

China styrene capacity and exports

## Other sections

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