Methanol is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic pungent odor (NTP NIEHS web accessed 2/16/2013). The air odor threshold has been reported as 1500 ppm (approximately 2000mg/m3), much higher than the occupational guidelines. Methanol (methyl alcohol; wood alcohol) is used extensively as a solvent for lacquers, paints, varnishes, cements, inks, dyes, plastics, and various industrial coatings. Large quantities are used in the production of formaldehyde and other chemical de
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China's August industrial output grew 5.2% fueled by tech exports, yet domestic consumption lags while petrochemical demand remains uneven. ICIS forecasts rising prices for key products like methanol
Container rates to the US rose sharply due to Asian port congestion, while chemical tanker rates softened amid summer slowness. Methanol and caustic soda trades remain steady despite tariff concerns a
GNFC restarted its acetic acid plant on August 7 after a three-month shutdown triggered by high methanol costs and weak margins. The 100,000 mt/year facility resumes operations amidst supportive India
Asia's methanol outlook remains volatile in H2 2026 amid Middle East supply risks and expanding Chinese capacity. Weak derivative demand constrains margins across acetic acid and MTO sectors despite p
Asia-US West Coast container rates fell while US East Coast rates remained steady amid Middle East tensions. Chemical tanker freight rates were mostly steady, though activity slowed due to summer holi
Methanex's Q2 net income surged 209% to $198 million, driven by record methanol prices of $529/mt amid Middle East supply gaps. The company forecasts lower adjusted EBITDA in Q3 due to expected price
Iran’s ZPC halted Assaluyeh No. 2 methanol production due to war impacts, contributing to a regional outage of three plants and lifting CFR China methanol prices by $4/mt to $333/mt.
Singapore petrochemical exports fell 27.9% while India's import duty exemptions on key chemicals expired this week. ICIS analysis notes volatile Asian market trends driven by Middle East tensions, wea
Renewed US-Iran tensions disrupted Strait of Hormuz shipping, spiking crude prices and creating uncertainty in Asian petrochemical markets like methanol and polymers, though analysts expect muted impa
Methanex Corporation shares rallied following strong Q1 2026 methanol production supported by key assets and resilient demand in China and marine fuel sectors.
New gas fields expected in 2027 could enable Trinidad’s Methanex Titan plant to restart after idling due to tight natural gas supplies, despite a globally oversupplied methanol market.
Global methanol prices surged to record highs amid US-Iran geopolitical tensions disrupting supply via the Strait of Hormuz. While European availability remains stable, downstream demand faces pressur
Methanex Corp. maintained its June Asian contract price for methanol at $740 per ton, unchanged from the previous month. This price stability follows record highs attributed to rising oil prices amids
Iran's ZPC restarted its No. 2 methanol plant at Asaluyeh on May 25, now operating at 40% capacity with a 1.65 million mt/y output. However, the site's No. 1 unit remains offline with no confirmed res
Methanex Corp reported strong Q1 2026 earnings driven by higher methanol prices, successfully repaying $60 million in debt. However, the company anticipates challenges from tight gas markets and geopo
China's chemical exports surged in March due to high domestic capacity and Middle East supply disruptions. Key products like ethylene, methanol, and PVC saw significant growth driven by arbitrage marg
Methanex Corporation, the world's largest methanol producer, sees increasing investor interest driven by energy transition trends and rising demand for methanol in cleaner fuels and chemicals. The com
Methanol prices in India surged to record highs due to Middle East war supply disruptions, threatening downstream industries with potential demand destruction.
SABIC declared force majeure on styrene and methanol supplies at Al Jubail due to Strait of Hormuz disruptions, impacting two units with a combined annual capacity of 1.16 million metric tons.
Global methanol markets are tightening due to Middle East supply disruptions, driving price surges in Asia while the US emerges as a key swing exporter. Europe remains balanced but faces risks from ri
Middle East conflict and Hormuz Strait closures have disrupted global methanol supply, driving up prices in China and Europe while creating uncertainty for downstream derivatives like MMA and acetic a
Middle East conflict drives higher energy costs and supply risks, disrupting Q2 methanol and derivative markets in Europe. Sectors like biodiesel, BDO, and MMA face price pressures and trade flow unce
Qatar Energy halted LNG production following facility attacks, removing 20% of global capacity and causing European gas prices to surge over 50%. The disruption impacts downstream chemical sectors lik
Middle East conflicts and attacks on energy facilities have halted Hormuz Strait shipping, spiking oil and LNG prices. This threatens global chemical supply chains, impacting feedstocks like methanol
China's petrochemical futures surged amid Middle East tensions, with methanol rising 10.6% and LPG leading gains following threats to close the Strait of Hormuz and disruptions to key LNG exports from
Severe winter storms forced major chemical producers in Texas to halt operations, disrupting methanol and styrene supplies. While immediate price impacts remain limited, markets monitor potential long
Iran's methanol and urea exports have declined over the past five months since March, attributed to disruptions caused by the Israel-Iran war.
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