The RightPath Solvent Price Index (RPI-SPI) tracks input-cost movement for eight core industrial solvents — ethanol, methanol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, toluene, xylenes, MEK and methylene chloride. Each solvent is expressed as an index value against a base period of 2 January 2024 = 100, so a reading of 125 means input costs are 25% above the base period. The index is built entirely from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Indexes and U.S. Energy Information Administration spot-price benchmarks, and it is free to cite with attribution.
Index values as of 15 September 2026 · base period 2 January 2024 = 100.0
| Solvent | CAS No. | Index | 30-Day | 90-Day | 1-Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) | 64-17-5 | 141.2 | +8.45% | +12.14% | +24.03% |
| Methanol | 67-56-1 | 120.0 | +6.53% | +2.00% | +13.13% |
| Acetone | 67-64-1 | 133.7 | +10.57% | +1.58% | +34.98% |
| Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) | 67-63-0 | 132.3 | +10.34% | +0.92% | +33.06% |
| Toluene | 108-88-3 | 160.3 | +17.97% | +18.97% | +62.57% |
| Xylenes (mixed) | 1330-20-7 | 152.1 | +15.00% | +11.88% | +54.04% |
| Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) | 78-93-3 | 124.8 | +11.79% | +12.55% | +26.50% |
| Methylene Chloride | 75-09-2 | 118.9 | +8.17% | +3.42% | +14.30% |
Index values are relative measures of input-cost movement, not quotations. For firm delivered pricing on any grade or package size, request a quote or call 888-255-2401.
What does the RightPath Solvent Price Index measure?
It measures the direction and magnitude of input-cost pressure on each solvent — not transaction prices. Every solvent on the list is made from a feedstock whose price is publicly reported: crude oil, natural gas, propane, or the gasoline blending pool. When those feedstocks move, solvent economics move with them, usually with a lag of days to weeks depending on the molecule and the length of the supply chain.
Published spot assessments for finished solvents sit behind commercial subscriptions and cannot be lawfully republished. Rather than paywall a number or guess at one, RPI-SPI is built entirely from federal data that anyone can verify, using a formula published in full below. That makes the index reproducible: any reader can rebuild it from the same public series and arrive at the same values.
How is the index calculated?
Each solvent index is a weighted composite of two components:
- A Producer Price Index anchor (monthly, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) — the authoritative published price level for the chemical family the solvent belongs to. This sets the level.
- A feedstock basket (daily, U.S. Energy Information Administration) — the energy and petrochemical benchmarks that drive that molecule’s production cost. This supplies movement between monthly PPI prints.
Indext = 100 × Σ ( wi × Seriesi,t ÷ Seriesi,base )
where w are the weights below (which sum to 1.000 for every solvent), base is 2 January 2024, and each series is read at its most recent observation on or before date t.
| Solvent | PPI anchor | Feedstock basket | Production route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol) | PPI Ethanol — 0.65 | Gulf Coast gasoline 0.20, WTI 0.15 | Corn fermentation; priced against the gasoline blending pool |
| Methanol | PPI Basic Organic Chemicals — 0.50 | Henry Hub gas 0.35, WTI 0.15 | Natural gas steam reforming to syngas |
| Acetone | PPI Petrochemical Mfg — 0.55 | Mont Belvieu propane 0.25, WTI 0.20 | Cumene process co-product with phenol |
| Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) | PPI Petrochemical Mfg — 0.55 | Mont Belvieu propane 0.30, WTI 0.15 | Propylene hydration |
| Toluene | PPI Petrochemical Mfg — 0.40 | Brent 0.30, Gulf Coast gasoline 0.30 | Reformate extraction; competes into gasoline as an octane blendstock |
| Xylenes (mixed) | PPI Petrochemical Mfg — 0.55 | Brent 0.30, Gulf Coast gasoline 0.15 | Reformate extraction; pulled into the paraxylene-polyester chain |
| Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) | PPI Basic Organic Chemicals — 0.55 | WTI 0.25, propane 0.20 | sec-Butanol dehydrogenation from C4 raffinate |
| Methylene Chloride | PPI Basic Inorganic Chemicals — 0.45 | Henry Hub gas 0.35, WTI 0.20 | Methane/methanol chlorination; chlor-alkali linked |
Weights are set by production route, not fitted to price history. Toluene carries a heavier gasoline weighting than xylenes because toluene competes directly into the motor-fuel pool on octane value, while xylenes are pulled toward polyester feedstock demand. Methanol and methylene chloride carry the heaviest natural-gas weightings because both trace back to methane.
What are the source series?
Nine public federal series. Every one is free to access, and each is shown here with the exact observation behind the current readings, so the age of every input is visible rather than implied.
| Series | Latest | Unit | Observation date | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude Oil, WTI – Cushing OK | 107.02 | $/bbl | 2026-09-15 | daily |
| Crude Oil, Brent – Europe | 130.80 | $/bbl | 2026-09-15 | daily |
| Henry Hub Natural Gas Spot Price | 2.97 | $/MMBtu | 2026-09-15 | daily |
| Propane, Mont Belvieu TX | 0.855 | $/gal | 2026-09-15 | daily |
| Conventional Gasoline, U.S. Gulf Coast | 3.834 | $/gal | 2026-09-15 | daily |
| PPI: Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol) | 259.950 | index | 2026-08-01 | monthly |
| PPI: All Other Basic Organic Chemical Mfg | 261.537 | index | 2026-08-01 | monthly |
| PPI: Petrochemical Manufacturing | 185.105 | index | 2026-08-01 | monthly |
| PPI: Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Mfg | 170.915 | index | 2026-08-01 | monthly |
Source data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Producer Price Indexes) and U.S. Energy Information Administration (spot prices), retrieved via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Why do solvent prices move?
| Driver | Typical lag | Most affected |
|---|---|---|
| Crude oil price | 2–6 weeks | Toluene, xylenes, acetone, IPA, MEK |
| Natural gas price | 4–8 weeks | Methanol, methylene chloride |
| Gasoline blending economics | Days to 2 weeks | Ethanol, toluene |
| Refinery and cracker turnarounds | Immediate to 4 weeks | All aromatics and C3/C4 derivatives |
| Corn crop and ethanol margins | Seasonal | Ethanol |
| Chlor-alkali operating rates | 4–12 weeks | Methylene chloride |
| Freight, tariffs and import parity | Variable | All imported grades |
How should buyers use the index?
- Budget defense. When a supplier raises a price, the 30-day and 90-day columns show whether input costs actually moved in that direction, and roughly how far.
- Timing. Sustained upward movement across several solvents usually signals a broad feedstock move rather than a supplier-specific one — the point at which locking volume tends to pay.
- Contract discussion. A published, reproducible index gives both sides a neutral reference point for indexed pricing conversations.
If you need firm delivered pricing on a specific grade and package size, request a quote — the index does not replace a quotation.
What the index does not do
Stating the limits plainly, because an index used outside its design is worse than no index:
- It is not a spot price assessment. It does not report what any solvent transacted at, and should not be cited as a market price.
- It does not capture regional basis. Gulf Coast, Midwest and West Coast delivered economics diverge; the index reflects national benchmarks.
- It does not capture grade premiums. ACS, USP, HPLC and distilled-in-glass grades carry purification and QC costs that move independently of feedstock.
- It does not capture package or freight cost, which on small-package business frequently exceeds the molecule cost.
- It lags genuine supply shocks. A force majeure or unplanned outage moves real prices well before it appears in any published federal series.
Frequently asked questions
What is a solvent price index?
A solvent price index expresses the cost of a solvent as a number relative to a fixed base period rather than in dollars. The base period equals 100, so a reading of 118 means costs are 18% higher than the base. Indexing lets buyers compare movement across chemicals that trade in different units — gallons, pounds, kilograms and drums — on a single scale.
Is the RightPath Solvent Price Index a price quote?
No. It measures input-cost movement, not transaction prices, and it excludes grade premiums, packaging, freight and regional basis. For firm delivered pricing, request a quote from RightPath Industries at 888-255-2401 or through the online request form.
Where does the underlying data come from?
Producer Price Index series from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and spot-price benchmarks from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, both retrieved through FRED at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. All nine series are public and free to access, and each one is listed on this page with its latest observation date.
How often is the index updated?
The index is recalculated regularly against the latest available federal data. The energy benchmarks that supply most of the movement publish on business days, and the monthly Producer Price Index anchors refresh when the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes, usually in the second week of the following month. Each table states the exact observation date behind the current readings.
Why do ethanol and toluene track gasoline prices?
Both compete for placement in the gasoline pool. Ethanol is blended into finished motor fuel and toluene is a high-octane blendstock, so when gasoline values rise, both molecules are pulled toward fuel use and away from chemical use, which tightens chemical-grade supply and raises cost.
Which solvents does the index cover?
Eight: ethyl alcohol (ethanol, CAS 64-17-5), methanol (67-56-1), acetone (67-64-1), isopropyl alcohol (67-63-0), toluene (108-88-3), mixed xylenes (1330-20-7), methyl ethyl ketone (78-93-3) and methylene chloride (75-09-2). RightPath distributes all eight in grades from technical through ACS, USP and HPLC, in package sizes from 50 mL to bulk.
Can I cite or reuse this index?
Yes. The RightPath Solvent Price Index is published free to cite with attribution to RightPath Industries. Please cite the underlying federal sources as well: Producer Price Index data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and spot price data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Can I use this index in a supply contract?
The methodology and source series are published in full specifically so both parties can reproduce the calculation independently. Whether it suits a given contract is a commercial and legal question for the parties involved; RightPath publishes the index as a reference, not as a contract mechanism.
Related resources
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