Demand for monoethylene glycol from the downstream polyethylene terephthalate sector is "disappointing" at present despite warm weather in Europe, sources said this week.
"Demand from PET is not booming, demand is restricted to contractual off-take," one MEG producer said.
Coolant demand was also heard to be weak at the prompt, although there has been interest for July/August.
MEG is used to make PET and coolant.
MEG FCA NWE prices were assessed at Eur750/mt ($838) last Friday, and were heard pegged at Eur740-760/mt FCA NWE this week.
Sources said that the PET segment isn't yet restarting, adding that they expect a downside to MEG prices.
Sources also said this week that they expect the Shell Chemicals ethylene oxide/MEG facility in Moerdijk, in the Netherlands, to restart imminently, following planned maintenance.
"The MEOD [Moerdijk Etheen Oxide en Derivaten] (TA) starts up mid-June. No further comment," a Shell spokesman said Friday.
One source said that, if Asian prices improve further, it could ease the cautiousness in European demand.
CFR China was assessed at $785/mt Friday, up $10/mt on the week.
