Ethanol, Fuels and Co-Product Pricing
Market Outlook: U.S. ethanol prices ended last week up 3 percent but are unchanged through Tuesday’s trading amid a quiet week. Midwest wholesale rack ethanol prices were up 0.5 percent to end last week; they are down slightly to start this week with prices at 37.03 cents/liter (140.17 cents/gallon) through Tuesday’s trading.
FOB Houston ethanol prices finished last week down 0.8 percent, but prices are up through Tuesday’s trading (0.3 percent) from Friday’s close. FOB Houston ethanol prices are quoted at 35.439 cents/liter (134.150 cents/gallon). FOB Santos, Brazil ethanol prices ended last week down 1.8 percent; prices are up fractionally from Friday’s close and stand at 50.692 cents/liter (191.890 cents/gallon) through Tuesday’s trading.
The FOB Gulf-Santos, Brazil spread widened slightly from last week’s close through Tuesday’s trading and is currently at -15.253 cents/liter (-57.740 cents/gallon).
MTBE prices were unchanged to end last week and are down through early week trading. MTBE’s premium to FOB Houston ethanol stood at 12.379 cents/liter (46.86 cents/gallons), narrowing from last week’s figure.
BTX component prices were mixed to end last week and are down across the board through Tuesday’s trading, with Benzene prices down 2.0 percent, Toluene prices down 1.5 percent and Xylene prices down 9.3 percent. The estimated weighted average aromatic price is currently 53.85 cents/liter (203.84 cents/gallon), down 6.1 percent from last Friday’s close. The BTX-Houston ethanol spread narrowed further this week, with the weighted average BTX price now 18.409 cents/liter (69.69 cents/gallon) higher than FOB Houston ethanol prices.
Gasoline and petroleum products are down significantly in early week trading, pressured by macroeconomic signals and general weakness in commodity and equities markets. RBOB futures are down 5.6 percent with 84 (Houston) and 87 (U.S. Gulf) octane gasoline prices both down. WTI futures are down 8.1 percent to $47.04/barrel, and Brent futures are down 6.2 percent to $56.54/barrel from Friday’s close through Tuesday’s trading.
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