Platts to discontinue European caustic soda contract price assessment

Following market consultation, S&P Global Platts will discontinue its European caustic soda contract price assessment, effective April 7, 2020, and will concentrate on the more transparent spot market.

The decision to discontinue the assessment reflects a widening disconnect between spot and contract prices. Platts has also observed reduced transparency of outright value indications for the contract price. The decision follows a proposal on January 7, 2020, in a subscriber note available here:

https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/our-methodology/subscriber-notes/010720-platts-proposes-to-discontinue-european-caustic-soda-contract-price-assessment

Platts will continue to publish its European caustic soda export spot price assessment.

The discontinuation will affect the following:

AANTG00 Caustic Soda FD NWE CP Eur/mt

Platts European caustic soda contract price assessment appears in Solventswire, on Platts Petrocehmical Alert pages 243, 380 and 391, in Platts price database and on Platts Market Center under the symbol listed above.

Please direct any questions or comments to pl_petchems_ln@spglobal.com with copy to pricegroup@spglobal.com.

Please provide a clear indication if written comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing. Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.