SEOUL: South Korea’s exports of most petrochemical products fell in May compared with the same period a year ago because of lower commodity prices amid a general slowdown in global trade, official data showed.
Propylene shipments led the decline, with volumes slumping 70.5% in May. Ethylene exports, meanwhile, fell 31.7% over the same period, based on data from the Korea International Trade Association (KITA). (Please see table below)
Among aromatics products, toluene exports in May were down 65.7% year on year, while mixed xylene isomers had a 59% decline in export volumes.
South Korea’s petrochemical exports in May fell 22.8% year on year, tracking declines in overall shipments, according to the country’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Economy (MOTIE).
The country’s overall exports in May declined 10.9% because of a confluence of factors, including fewer working days during the month because of a public holiday.
Benzene bucked the trend, surging 57.8% compared with the same period a year ago, while paraxylene (PX) shipments soared 94.2% year on year.
