Ethanol, Fuels and Co-Product Pricing
Market Outlook: U.S. ethanol prices ended last week down 1.9 percent but have rebounded and are up (+2.5 percent) in early week trading. Midwest wholesale rack ethanol prices were down 0.6 percent to end last week; they continue down this week at 38.22 cents/liter (144.66 cents/gallon) through Tuesday’s trading.
FOB Houston ethanol prices finished last week down 0.9 percent; prices are down 0.7 percent through Tuesday’s trading from Friday’s close. FOB Houston ethanol prices are quoted at 37.30 cents/liter (141.21 cents/gallon). FOB Santos, Brazil ethanol prices ended last week up 1.4 percent; they are down 0.9 percent from Friday’s close and stand at 51.54 cents/liter (195.13 cents/gallon) through Tuesday’s trading.
The FOB Gulf-Santos, Brazil spread narrowed slightly from last week’s close through Tuesday’s trading and is currently at -14.24 cents/liter (-53.91 cents/gallon).
MTBE prices were down to end last week; they continue down (-2.1 percent) to start this week. MTBE’s premium to FOB Houston ethanol narrowed from last week and now stands at 14.41 cents/liter (54.55 cents/gallon).
BTX component prices were down across the board to end last week and continue down through Tuesday’s trading: Benzene is down fractionally; Toluene is down 1.7 percent and Xylene down 1.9 percent. The estimated weighted average aromatic price is currently 69.55 cents/liter (263.29 cents/gallon), down 1.7 percent from last Friday’s close. The BTX-Houston ethanol spread narrowed from last week; the weighted average BTX price is now 32.24 cents/liter (122.07 cents/gallon) higher than the FOB Houston ethanol price.
Gasoline and petroleum products were down to end last week and continue mostly down through early-week trading. In terms of RBOB futures, 84 (Houston) and 87 (U.S. Gulf) octane gasoline prices are down 0.6 percent and 1.5 percent, respectively. WTI futures are down 0.6 percent to $61.30/barrel while Brent futures are up 0.9 percent to $71.24/barrel, from Friday’s close through Tuesday’s trading.
Price Database: If you are interested in historical price data, please click here.