Dec. 07, 2018

For the week ended 30 November, average caustic soda prices declined $10/dry metric tonne (dmt) from the previous week to $302.50/dmt FOB (free on board) NE (northeast) Asia, the lowest since 29 July 2016, according to the data.

Spot prices have been on a general downtrend for eight weeks since 12 October, the data showed.

The present situation does not affect producers in China and South Korea as much.

While China is a net exporter of caustic soda, stable domestic demand and lower spot prices in Asia have led to scant export volumes since mid-2018 as producers focus on the more lucrative domestic market.