1,4-Butanediol Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

1,4-Butanediol prices in Germany rose 2.7% in Q2 2026 to USD 1,900.00/MT from USD 1,850.00/MT in Q1, extending a sharp climb as provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports and Strait of Hormuz-related shipping delays combined to tighten supply into Northwest European markets. The United States moved in the opposite direction, falling a further 1.6% to USD 1,550.00/MT after an 8.71% quarterly decline tied to weaker spot export demand. Globally, the average fell slightly from USD 1,614.47/MT in Q1 to USD 1,609.10/MT in Q2, essentially flat as regional divergence offset itself at the composite level. For H2 2026, a global average of USD 1,500.00-1,780.00/MT is expected, with the gap between a tightening Europe and a softer United States likely to persist.

1,4-Butanediol, commonly abbreviated BDO, is a foundational C4 diol intermediate manufactured primarily via the Reppe process, reacting acetylene with formaldehyde followed by hydrogenation, though propylene oxide hydroformylation, maleic anhydride hydrogenation, and emerging bio-fermentation pathways also contribute to global supply. It serves as the essential precursor for tetrahydrofuran, used as a pharmaceutical and industrial solvent, polybutylene terephthalate engineering resins, gamma-butyrolactone, and polyurethane production, alongside direct use in cosmetics, pesticides, and plasticizers. Acetylene and formaldehyde feedstock costs, trade policy including anti-dumping measures, and THF and PBT sector demand are what drive prices in this market.

1,4-Butanediol Price Forecast for 2026

The outlook for 1,4-Butanediol through H2 2026 stays regionally divided. European prices should remain elevated given provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports combined with ongoing Strait of Hormuz-related freight delays, while the United States looks likely to stay comparatively soft given persistently weak spot export demand. China and Taiwan should continue tracking the underlying acetylene and formaldehyde feedstock cost environment closely.

The main upside risk is a further tightening of European anti-dumping enforcement or additional shipping-route disruptions, which could widen the transatlantic price gap further. The main downside risk is a resolution of the anti-dumping measures combined with a rebound in US export demand, which would narrow the current regional divergence.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

1,4-Butanediol Prices Q2 2026:

• Germany: USD 1,900.00/MT
• Taiwan: USD 1,750.00/MT
• United States: USD 1,550.00/MT
• China: USD 1,155.00/MT

1,4-Butanediol Prices in Germany

German 1,4-Butanediol prices averaged USD 1,900.00/MT in Q2 2026, the highest of any region tracked here, up 2.7% from USD 1,850.00/MT in Q1, as provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese imports continued reducing available supply into Northwest European markets.

Why did the price of 1,4-Butanediol change in Q2 2026 in Germany?

Provisional anti-dumping duties continued reducing Chinese import flows into Northwest European markets, while ongoing Strait of Hormuz tensions kept sailings slower and freight surcharges elevated, delaying Asian cargo arrivals and sustaining this market's position at the top of the range tracked in this report.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in Taiwan

Taiwanese prices averaged USD 1,750.00/MT in Q2 2026, down 1.7% from USD 1,780.00/MT in Q1, as regional feedstock costs eased modestly from their Q1 peak.

Why did the price of 1,4-Butanediol change in Q2 2026 in Taiwan?

Regional acetylene and formaldehyde feedstock costs eased somewhat from their Q1 peak, even as steady demand from tetrahydrofuran and polybutylene terephthalate manufacturers kept underlying consumption firm.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in the United States

US prices averaged USD 1,550.00/MT in Q2 2026, down 1.6% from USD 1,575.67/MT in Q1, extending a decline tied to persistently weak spot export demand.

Why did the price of 1,4-Butanediol change in Q2 2026 in the United States?

Weaker spot export demand continued pressuring this market, with elevated inventories and cautious purchasing activity limiting any near-term price recovery even as domestic operating rates stayed steady.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in China

Chinese prices averaged USD 1,155.00/MT in Q2 2026, the lowest of the four regions, down 2.1% from USD 1,180.00/MT in Q1, as domestic feedstock costs eased modestly.

Why did the price of 1,4-Butanediol change in Q2 2026 in China?

Domestic acetylene and formaldehyde feedstock costs eased modestly from their Q1 highs, while balanced supply conditions and steady export activity helped stabilize this typically cost-competitive market.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

1,4-Butanediol Prices Q1 2026:

• Germany: USD 1,850.00/MT
• Taiwan: USD 1,780.00/MT
• United States: USD 1,575.67/MT
• China: USD 1,180.00/MT

1,4-Butanediol Prices in Germany

German prices surged 15.6% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,850.00/MT from USD 1,600.00/MT in Q4 2025, as anti-dumping duties and Hormuz-related freight delays combined to tighten European supply.

Why did the price of 1,4-Butanediol change in Q1 2026 in Germany?

Provisional anti-dumping duties reduced Chinese import flows, tightening supply into Northwest European markets, while Strait of Hormuz tensions slowed sailings, raising freight surcharges and delaying Asian cargo arrivals into Germany, and higher crude and natural gas prices increased energy costs for acetylene-route BDO producers.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in Taiwan

Taiwanese prices surged 11.2% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,780.00/MT from USD 1,600.00/MT in Q4 2025, tracking the broader regional feedstock cost spike.

Why did the price of 1,4-Butanediol change in Q1 2026 in Taiwan?

Rising acetylene and formaldehyde feedstock costs, tied to the broader Middle East-linked energy market disruption, pushed Taiwanese production expenses higher through the quarter, even as steady downstream THF and PBT demand continued.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in the United States

US prices fell 8.7% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,575.67/MT from USD 1,726.00/MT in Q4 2025, reflecting weaker spot export demand.

Why did the price of 1,4-Butanediol change in Q1 2026 in the United States?

In the USA, the Butanediol Price Index fell quarter-over-quarter, reflecting weaker spot export demand, with the average price remaining rangebound as imports and domestic production runs constrained upside even as feedstock costs moved higher elsewhere.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in China

Chinese prices surged 12.4% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,180.00/MT from USD 1,050.00/MT in Q4 2025, as elevated calcium carbide and acetylene feedstock costs pushed production expenses higher.

Why did the price of 1,4-Butanediol change in Q1 2026 in China?

Elevated calcium carbide and acetylene feedstock costs, tied to the broader Middle East-linked energy market disruption, pushed Chinese BDO production expenses sharply higher, even as balanced supply conditions helped limit the pace of the increase relative to import-dependent markets.

Quarterly 1,4-Butanediol Price Trends

Global 1,4-Butanediol prices eased through most of 2025 on soft downstream tetrahydrofuran and polybutylene terephthalate demand, before diverging sharply by region in Q1 2026, with Europe and Asia rising on acetylene feedstock cost pressure and trade policy tightening even as the United States fell on weak spot export demand, a divergence that persisted, if moderating, into Q2.

What was 1,4-Butanediol Price in 2025?

1,4-Butanediol declined modestly across every market covered in this report through 2025, as light demand from downstream tetrahydrofuran and polybutylene terephthalate sectors weighed on the market for much of the year, before feedstock cost pressure and European trade policy tightening reversed the trend sharply in early 2026, most dramatically in Germany.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in Germany in 2025

German prices declined from about USD 1,650.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,600.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 3.0%, the steepest annual decline of the four regions, before the sharp Q1 2026 reversal driven by anti-dumping duties and Hormuz-related freight delays.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in Taiwan in 2025

Taiwanese prices declined from about USD 1,620.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,600.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 1.2%, tracking soft regional downstream demand through most of the year.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in the United States in 2025

US prices declined from about USD 1,750.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,726.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 1.4%, the smallest annual decline of the four regions, before weak export demand pulled this market lower again in Q1 2026.

1,4-Butanediol Prices in China in 2025

Chinese prices declined from about USD 1,080.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,050.00/MT by Q4, down roughly 2.8%, tracking light demand from downstream THF and PBT sectors before the sharp 2026 feedstock-driven reversal began.

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Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time 1,4-Butanediol Price Intelligence

Expert Market Research tracks 1,4-Butanediol prices continuously across every major producing and consuming region, combining acetylene and formaldehyde feedstock cost data, trade policy developments, and tetrahydrofuran and polybutylene terephthalate demand signals into a single, regularly updated view of the market. Our team can help your procurement function benchmark current offers, plan purchases around the regional divergence covered in this report, and build a defensible view of where this foundational C4 diol intermediate is headed next. Reach out to our team for a tailored briefing or a deeper look at any of the regional markets covered here.