Mixed week for NR, butadiene in Chinese markets

Zibo City, China – Natural rubber futures registered a significant dip in Shanghai last week, according to a commodity pricing analysis supplied by Sublime China Information Ltd (SCI).

At close of trading in Shanghai on 21 Aug, prices for the rubber future – listed as SCRWF-9% VAT – fell 10.14% week-on-week to RMB11,125.00/tonne.

SCI’s extensive commodity tracker also covers butadiene prices, which by contrast trended upwards over the past week. 

Prices for the synthetic rubber monomer closed at RMB5,550/tonne on 21Aug, representing a 5.71% increase on the prior end-of-week level.

According to the Chinese market watcher, some 340ktpa of new butadiene capacity has been released in the first half of 2020. Over the second six months, it expects more than 400kt/a butadiene capacity to start production. 

Based in Zibo City, Shandong. SCI provides information and analysis of the Chinese commodity market, often in cooperation with China's National Bureau of Statistics.