US cumene prices fell 1.9% October 2025 amid continuing bearish sentiment based on upstream cost relief and downstream fatigue. Feedstock, benzene prices dropped month-on-month by 2.9%, whereas upstream crude price with 3% decrease, which squeezed producers’ margins given a lower cost of production. OPEC+ bumped production by 137,000 bpd, while a Gaza ceasefire helped to ease risk premiums, all of which are reinforcing oversupply. Gulf Coast plants were running at 85-90% capacity that was eclipsing offtake and accumulating surplus inventories, with low prospect for exports due to tariff risks and freight impediments. Cumene demand was weak and cumene offtake decreased by 5% on week-on-week basis in weak phenol-acetone and BPA market. The demand for acetone downstream fell as traders had been sending out 1–2% discounts to make tails, while phenol underwent downturn after downstream units reduced their runs. Industry watchers, ChemAnalyst says, are bracing for Q4 volatility with some indication of holiday-driven rallies and/or trade de-escalation to provide some, albeit limited, support.
Selenis has effectively manufactured recycled PET chips using terephthalic acid sourced from Circ®, a textile-to-textile recycler based in Virginia. The chip production took place through a series of batches at Selenis' pilot plant in San-Giorgio, Italy. By utilizing inputs recovered from polycotton textile waste, Selenis has created high-quality PET chip, which has been further processed into DTY yarn. This yarn will play a crucial role in product development as Circ prepares for additional capsule launches. Selenis is leveraging the success of this initial collaboration phase and is committed to advancing towards an offtake partnership to support Circ's inaugural industrial facility.
Eduardo Santos, Head of Corporate Strategy at Selenis, remarked that the monomer synthesis showed a performance comparable to virgin terephthalic acid. He expressed optimism about the consistent quality of Circ's monomer output and anticipated future commercial success. Santos pointed out that the Circ partnership complements Selenis's existing mission and goals for a more sustainable textile industry. He further stated their anticipation of expanding upon this collaboration and providing support for Circ's forthcoming commercial production trials.
