(ICIS) -- Asia's MTBE prices may drift lower in the last quarter of the year as a jittery global economy, accompanied by volatile crude values, will likely dampen demand for the octane booster in gasoline, traders said on Tuesday.
Spot MTBE prices were at USD 1,069-1,071/tonne (EUR 791-793/tonne) FOB (free on board) Singapore on Monday, down by an average of USD 45/tonne from USD 1,104-1,126/tonne in the week ended 23 September, ICIS data showed.
A slew of dismal economic data from Europe, the US and China sent global equities markets tumbling and crude prices falling by about $5/bbl on 22 September. Investors fled to the safety of bonds that significantly strengthened the US dollar. However, crude futures bounced higher on Tuesday, buoyed by news that the European Central Bank may work towards implementing more aggressive measures to remedy the region's mounting debt crisis.