Tampa:
No changes have been reported since third-quarter contracts were settled at $55/lt CFR. The current contract price is down $48/lt from $103/lt CFR in the second quarter, a 47% decline.
US Gulf:
Noting both an increase in international prices and an ongoing outage at the ExxonMobil Corp. refinery in Baton Rouge, La., sources noted balanced-to-firm conditions in the US Gulf market. Prices lifted to $65-$70/mt FOB for the week, up from the last reported $57-$61/mt FOB range.
Brazil:
Market expectations moved up slightly, to $85-90/mt CFR from the week-ago $80-$90/mt CFR. There is no nearby demand in sight following the CMOC purchase, sources said. The expectation is now for large buyers to return to the market for September deliveries, with higher prices anticipated.
Vancouver:
Prices were unchanged at $60-$70/mt FOB. Sources continued to question whether the market will tighten should the port strike be extended.
Alberta:
Alberta price estimates continued at (-)$60-$0/mt FOB. The range included both molten sulfur cargoes contracted into the US market and solid tons sold through the Vancouver export market.
West Coast:
West Coast prills were indicated on par with Vancouver at $60-$70/mt FOB, unchanged from one week earlier.
Sources reported molten sulfur contracts at $45-$50/lt FOB for loading in the third quarter, off from $98-$106/lt FOB in the prior period, a 53% decline.
China:
Prices moved up to $100-$110/mt CFR, market watchers said, above last week’s $95-$100/mt CFR range. Despite high inventories at China, sources noted continued healthy demand.
ADNOC:
Prilled sulfur produced by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) remained posted at $68/mt FOB Ruwais for July loading.
Qatar:
Muntajat announced August solid sulfur postings at $86/mt FOB Ras Laffan, up 37% from $63/mt FOB in July. The region’s other producers are expected to post August prices at a similar level.