Overview
- Chinese consultant JLC said Monday that April imports will reach about 800,000 tonnes, roughly 60% above the monthly average.
- Producers are switching to ethane to replace naphtha and LPG after the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which the IEA says has thrown Asia’s feedstock trade into disarray.
- Margins for making ethylene from ethane were about ten times those from naphtha on April 15, according to JLC.
- New ethane‑ready units at Wanhua Chemical and Sinopec Ineos in China have lifted demand for U.S. cargoes this year.
- China’s buying spree raises the energy stakes for President Trump’s planned mid‑May meetings in Beijing, where U.S. supply is expected to feature.