Butene Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

Butene prices in Germany, the highest-cost reporting region, rose 3.0% in Q2 2026 to USD 1,390.00/MT from USD 1,350.00/MT in Q1, holding on to a sharp naphtha-driven spike from earlier in the year. South Korea posted a similarly sharp move, up 3.1% to USD 1,340.00/MT. The United States, by contrast, moved far more moderately, up 2.8% to USD 1,110.00/MT after a comparatively contained Q1 gain, reflecting its ethane-advantaged feedstock position. Globally, the average rose from USD 1,206.20/MT in Q1 to USD 1,241.60/MT in Q2, a 2.9% gain. For H2 2026, a global average of USD 1,120.00-1,350.00/MT is expected, with the divergence between naphtha-exposed and ethane-advantaged production regions likely to persist.

Butene, encompassing the C4 olefin isomers 1-butene, 2-butene, and isobutylene, is co-produced during steam cracking of naphtha or natural gas liquids and recovered from fluid catalytic cracking off-gas at refineries. It serves as a critical comonomer in linear low-density polyethylene production, a feedstock for polybutene and butyl rubber manufacturing, and an alkylation feedstock for producing high-octane gasoline blending components. Because it is co-produced alongside ethylene and propylene during cracking operations, its regional cost structure closely tracks the underlying feedstock divergence between naphtha-based crackers common in Asia and Europe and the ethane-advantaged crackers common in the United States. Naphtha and ethane feedstock costs, polyethylene and butyl rubber demand, and regional cracker feedstock slate differences are what drive prices in this market.

Butene Price Forecast for 2026

The outlook for Butene through H2 2026 stays firm, tracking the elevated naphtha feedstock cost environment created by ongoing Strait of Hormuz-related shipping tensions. Naphtha-exposed Asian and European markets should remain notably firmer than the more insulated, ethane-advantaged United States, a divergence consistent with the broader regional feedstock cost pattern evident across the ethylene and propylene value chains this year.

The main upside risk is a further escalation of Middle East shipping disruptions affecting naphtha feedstock costs, which would widen the gap between naphtha-exposed and ethane-advantaged regions even further. The main downside risk is a faster-than-expected normalization of naphtha costs combined with softer polyethylene and butyl rubber demand, which would ease the current regional divergence.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

Butene Prices Q2 2026:

• Germany: USD 1,390.00/MT
• South Korea: USD 1,340.00/MT
• United States: USD 1,110.00/MT
• China: USD 1,080.00/MT

Butene Prices in Germany

German Butene prices averaged USD 1,390.00/MT in Q2 2026, the highest of any region tracked here, up 3.0% from USD 1,350.00/MT in Q1, as elevated naphtha feedstock costs continued supporting this market.

Why did the price of Butene change in Q2 2026 in Germany?

Elevated naphtha feedstock costs, tied to ongoing Strait of Hormuz-related shipping tensions, continued flowing through to finished butene pricing, keeping this market at the top of the range tracked in this report.

Butene Prices in South Korea

South Korean prices averaged USD 1,340.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 3.1% from USD 1,300.00/MT in Q1, as strong petrochemical demand continued driving gains.

Why did the price of Butene change in Q2 2026 in South Korea?

Strong demand from polyethylene and alkylation gasoline blending applications kept South Korean buyers competing for available supply even as naphtha feedstock costs stayed elevated.

Butene Prices in the United States

US prices averaged USD 1,110.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 2.8% from USD 1,080.00/MT in Q1, as ethane-based feedstock economics continued keeping this market comparatively sheltered.

Why did the price of Butene change in Q2 2026 in the United States?

American butene producers, drawing predominantly on ethane-based cracker feedstock rather than Gulf naphtha, remained comparatively sheltered from the supply chain cost pressure affecting Asia and Europe.

Butene Prices in China

Chinese prices averaged USD 1,080.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 2.9% from USD 1,050.00/MT in Q1, as domestic capacity expansion continued limiting the pace of gains.

Why did the price of Butene change in Q2 2026 in China?

Continued expansion of domestic cracking and polyethylene capacity kept Chinese offers relatively competitive, even as the broader naphtha feedstock cost environment pushed prices modestly higher.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

Butene Prices Q1 2026:

• Germany: USD 1,350.00/MT
• South Korea: USD 1,300.00/MT
• United States: USD 1,080.00/MT
• China: USD 1,050.00/MT

Butene Prices in Germany

German prices surged 21.6% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,350.00/MT from USD 1,110.00/MT in Q4 2025, as naphtha feedstock costs spiked following the broader Middle East-linked energy market disruption.

Why did the price of Butene change in Q1 2026 in Germany?

Naphtha prices surged sharply as the global feedstock repricing following Middle East escalation raised the cost basis across the entire cracker product slate, and that pressure flowed directly through to finished butene pricing across German polyethylene and butyl rubber supply chains.

Butene Prices in South Korea

South Korean prices surged 20.4% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,300.00/MT from USD 1,080.00/MT in Q4 2025, tracking the broader regional feedstock cost spike.

Why did the price of Butene change in Q1 2026 in South Korea?

Elevated naphtha and broader petrochemical feedstock costs, tied to the Middle East-linked energy market disruption, pushed South Korean production expenses sharply higher, even as strong underlying polyethylene demand kept this market fundamentally well supported.

Butene Prices in the United States

US prices rose 9.1% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,080.00/MT from USD 990.00/MT in Q4 2025, a comparatively contained gain reflecting this market's ethane-advantaged feedstock position.

Why did the price of Butene change in Q1 2026 in the United States?

American butene producers, who draw predominantly on ethane-based cracker feedstock rather than Gulf naphtha, saw a far more moderate cost increase than naphtha-exposed regions, illustrating the same structural feedstock divergence evident across the broader ethylene and propylene value chains.

Butene Prices in China

Chinese prices rose 12.9% in Q1 2026 to USD 1,050.00/MT from USD 930.00/MT in Q4 2025, tracking the broader Asian naphtha feedstock cost spike.

Why did the price of Butene change in Q1 2026 in China?

Rising naphtha feedstock costs, tied to the broader Middle East-linked petrochemical cost environment, fed through to Chinese butene pricing, though continued domestic cracking capacity expansion kept the pace of the increase somewhat more moderate than in Europe and South Korea.

Quarterly Butene Price Trends

Global Butene prices dipped in Q2 2025 before climbing through the following two quarters, then diverged sharply in Q1 2026 as a Strait of Hormuz-driven naphtha feedstock cost shock pushed Germany and South Korea sharply higher even as the ethane-advantaged United States moved far more moderately, a divergence that persisted into Q2.

What was Butene Price in 2025?

Butene firmed across every market covered in this report through 2025, tracking gradually rising naphtha and ethane feedstock costs alongside firm polyethylene and butyl rubber demand, with South Korea posting the strongest annual gain and the United States the smallest, consistent with the structural naphtha-versus-ethane feedstock divergence evident across the broader olefin value chain.

Butene Prices in Germany in 2025

German prices firmed from about USD 1,050.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,110.00/MT by Q4, a gain of roughly 5.7%, well before the sharp Q1 2026 feedstock-driven spike that followed.

Butene Prices in South Korea in 2025

South Korean prices firmed from about USD 1,020.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 1,080.00/MT by Q4, up roughly 5.9%, the strongest annual increase of the four regions.

Butene Prices in the United States in 2025

US prices firmed from about USD 950.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 990.00/MT by Q4, a gain of roughly 4.2%, the smallest annual increase of the four regions, tracking this market's ethane-advantaged feedstock position.

Butene Prices in China in 2025

Chinese prices firmed from about USD 880.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 930.00/MT by Q4, up roughly 5.7%, tracking gradually rising feedstock costs.

How We Can Help

Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Butene Price Intelligence

Expert Market Research tracks Butene prices continuously across every major producing and consuming region, combining naphtha and ethane feedstock cost data, polyethylene and butyl rubber demand signals, and regional cracker feedstock slate trends 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 essential olefin comonomer is headed next. Reach out to our team for a tailored briefing or a deeper look at any of the regional markets covered here.