Chemicals, Aromatics, Solvents & Intermediates

November 05, 2024

Platts to harmonize MX and toluene coverage in US, discontinue industrial ethanol assessment

Platts has decided to harmonize the MX and toluene market coverage in the US and discontinue its industrial ethanol assessment, effective Jan. 13, 2025.

As part of this project, Platts will discontinue solvent toluene and xylene price assessments on the FOB Chicago and FOB US Gulf basis.

Platts will continue to publish daily nitration grade toluene and mixed xylenes assessments on the FOB US Gulf basis, which are accompanied by a weekly aromatics commentary on Fridays. Going forward, the Tuesday instance of these prices will be reflected in Solventswire and on all solvents pages, with Solventswire also reflecting the previous Friday’s weekly aromatics commentary.

The monthly averages for the FOB USG price assessments will continue reflecting an arithmetic average of all daily assessments during the month.

To be discontinued on Jan 13, 2025:

FOB Chicago FOB US Gulf
Solvent toluene Weekly: AAHRW00, M.Avg: AAHRX00 Weekly: AAHRU00; M.Avg: AAHRV00
Solvent xylenes Weekly: AAHSA00, M.Avg: AAHSB00 Weekly: AAHRY00; M.Avg: AAHRZ00

Replacement assessments

FOB US Gulf
Nitration grade toluene Daily: PHAAR00 (M1), AASMY00 (M2); W.Avg: PHAWW04 (M1), AASMY04 (M2); M.Avg: PHAWX03 (M1), AASMY03 (M2)
Mixed xylenes Daily: PHBHN00 (M1), AASMZ00 (M2); W.Avg: PHBHO04 (M1), AASMZ04 (M2); M.Avg: PHBHP03 (M1), AASMZ03 (M2)

Simultaneously Platts will discontinue its FOB DSP assessment of industrial ethanol due to the lack of market activity.

Platts will continue publishing ethanol benchmark assessment -- Chicago Ethanol Pipe AALRI00 -- as part of its biofuels package.

To be discontinued, Jan 13, 2025:

 Weekly code M.Avg
Industrial Ethanol 190 FOB DSP cts/gal Weekly AANTP00 AANTP03
Industrial Ethanol 200 FOB DSP cts/gal Weekly AANTR00 AANTR03

The affected assessments are currently published in Solventswire, Platts Connect and Platts Market Center, as well as in the Price Point database under the codes above.

Please send any questions or comments to petchems@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if 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.