US spot acetone was heard slipping to a range of 53-54 cents/lb ($1,168.44-1,190.48/mt) FOB US Gulf Coast for export Thursday on falling prices for feedstock refinery-grade propylene, sources said.
The lower range was at a 3-4 cent ($66.14-88.18/mt) discount from Tuesday's assessment of 57 cents/lb ($1,256.62/mt) FOB USG for export.
Spot acetone transactions were heard done as low as 52 cents/lb, sources said.
"That's on the Midwest side, though, those levels are not widespread," a source said of the 52-cent deal.
In upstream RGP, a spot deal was heard done Thursday at 36 cents/lb delivered, down 2.75 cents/lb from Tuesday's assessment.
"If RGP prices remains around these levels, we could see still lowering prices in acetone, because sellers will be competing for orders," the first source said.
Acetone supply, however, remained limited, according to industry sources.
"There's very little acetone available," a second trader said.
Operating rates for phenol units, which also produce acetone, were heard reduced from 80% to 70% in mid-May.
