US acetone market faces prolonged tightness as trade flows shift

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Since early 2026, US acetone producers have faced multiple outages and extended maintenance at major facilities. Also, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are disrupting global feedstock supply chains. The result: trade flows shifted rapidly.  

US acetone supply has continued to drop due to prolonged outages. Export volumes have fallen, but global supply concerns from the war in Iran have continued to support strong interest. 

Trade flows to Europe and Latin America increased in the first quarter of the year. That means a new picture for exports.

Prices reflected the tight supply. In mid-May, US Gulf Coast spot acetone prices surged to the highest level since early 2024. 

Higher costs for feedstocks benzene and propylene also pushed prices up. As these costs eased, acetone prices also declined, but not sharply, supported by the limited material availability.  

Although producers returned to operations in June,  supply is expected to remain constrained until late summer or early fall, with operating rates likely to stay between 70% and 80%.

Market players expect prices will remain supported by lower supply, minimizing the effects of higher cost.

But it doesn't stop here: material from Asia may start to flow to Latin America and the US. It remains to be seen how this would impact a price curve that has fallen so slowly.