Price Trends

This week, the price of melamine in China saw a slight decline, with the overall trend moving downward to a low point not seen in nearly a year Both short-term and long-term moving averages are declining, indicating a strong bearish sentiment in the market The weakening of the raw material urea has led to insufficient cost support The supply and demand fundamentals are weak, with downstream demand in the off-season

• Melamine prices
• bearish market sentiment
• weakening cost support
• softening supply-and-demand fundamentals.

On July 17 at 24:00, China's retail prices for gasoline and diesel will see their ninth increase, with each ton of gasoline and diesel being raised by 300 yuan and 290 yuan, respectively International oil prices have risen due to the US imposing a maritime blockade on Iran, with the crude oil change rate at 630% Despite the reduction in supply, weak demand has limited the price increase for gasoline and diesel

• Refining product price adjustments
• crude oil price fluctuations
• geopolitical risks
• gasoline and diesel market analysis

This week, the Chinese acrylic acid market first declined and then rose Supported by a significant increase in the price of upstream raw material propylene, the benchmark price of acrylic acid rose by 562% as of July 14 compared to the beginning of the week The rigid increase in costs pushed manufacturers to maintain prices, while demand showed a moderate recovery but without any explosive growth

• Acrylic market: rising costs
• moderate demand
• short-term rebound

In the first half of July, China's PP market showed a strong rebound, with a price increase of 14.53%. The cost side was affected by geopolitical factors, leading to a rise in oil prices. Supply increased slightly but remained generally tight. Demand is currently in the off-season, and downstream resistance to high prices is strong. In the short term, upward momentum for PP prices has already formed, and attention should be paid to international crude oil and Middle East shipping conditions.

• PP market conditions
• rising costs
• supply-demand contradiction
• geopolitical risks

In the first half of July, the Chinese PC market experienced a rebound after a decline, with prices returning to the beginning of the month levels. Although upstream bisphenol A cost support has strengthened, increased supply and weak demand have led to significant resistance to market growth. It is expected that price increases will be limited in the short term.

• PC Market
• Price Trends
• Supply and Demand
• Future Market Forecast

In the first half of July, the Chinese ABS market showed a rebound from the decline, with the average spot price rising to 9,916.67 CNY per ton. Supply was stable, and inventory decreased, with the cost factors showing an increase in the price of pure benzene while acrylonitrile weakened. Short-term demand increased somewhat, but the momentum was insufficient. The technical analysis indicates that prices are likely to remain strong in the short term.

• ABS market
• cost factors
• demand analysis
• future market forecast

Since early July, the market price of butadiene in China has increased by 10.9%, mainly driven by factors such as the rise in international crude oil prices, increased production costs, and tight supply. Despite the strong bullish sentiment in the short term, downstream demand remains weak, and it is expected that the market will experience high-level fluctuations and consolidation in the future.

• Crude oil provides a boost
• butadiene prices are rising
• cost factors offer support
• supply remains tight.

As of July 13, the price of MTBE rose to 6,233 CNY/ton, with a single-day price increase of 15.17%, and a cumulative increase of nearly 20% since July. This round of price increases is mainly driven by multiple favorable factors such as rising costs, reduced supply, increased demand, and growth in export orders. It is expected that the market will remain strong in the short term.

• MTBE market
• rising costs
• reduced supply
• increased demand

This week, the Chinese hydrogen fluoride market saw a slight increase, with the price reaching 15,600 CNY/ton as of July 10th, up 0.86% from the beginning of the month. The supply side experienced a shortage of spot goods due to the temporary shutdown of Jin'ebo Fluorine Chemical, and the high prices of raw materials such as fluorspar and sulfuric acid supported the cost. Despite weak demand, it is expected that the market will remain stable and slightly strong in the short term.

• Hydrofluoric acid market: prices slightly up
• supply shortage
• cost support

On July 13, the market price of propylene oxide in China rose significantly, with the benchmark price reaching 8,600 CNY per ton, an increase of 1026% from the beginning of the month The main reasons were the high price support of propylene and the reduction in supply due to facility load reductions and shutdowns However, downstream acceptance of the high-priced raw material was low, leading to a weaker market atmosphere for shipments

• Propylene oxide
• market price
• reduced supply
• raw material price support

Recently, after a continuous rise, the Chinese formic acid market has stabilized. As of July 13, the benchmark price was 2,300 CNY/ton, an increase of 9.52% from the beginning of the month. Market transactions have warmed up, and inventory has returned to a reasonable range, but weak demand in the off-season is limiting price increases. It is expected that the formic acid market will maintain a stable sideways trend in the short term.

• Formic acid prices
• market stable
• inventory declines
• off-season for consumption

On July 13, 2026, the escalation of US-Iran tensions led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, triggering concerns about rising costs and supply disruptions for crude oil and ethylene glycol As a result, ethylene glycol prices in China surged significantly to 4,415 CNY per ton, with both futures and spot price differentials moving upward in tandem

• Ethylene glycol prices
• geopolitical risks
• the Strait of Hormuz
• rising energy costs

On July 13, affected by the US military’s blockade of Iranian ports, international crude oil futures surged by more than 9% WTI and Brent crude prices rose to $7814 per barrel and $8330 per barrel, respectively Refined oil products also rose in tandem The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve has fallen to a 43-year low, with inventories continuing to decline and the market’s buffering capacity weakening

• US-Iran Conflict
• International Crude Oil Prices
• Supply Risks
• Low Inventory Levels

In July, PTA prices showed a relatively strong fluctuation within a range, supported by the peak maintenance period of PX which bolstered costs, and the concentrated maintenance of multiple PTA units leading to a reduction in supply Although the textile off-season limited the upside, the tight balance between supply and demand kept PTA at high levels

• cost support
• supply contraction
• inventory decline
• textile off-season

In July, the price of polyester staple fiber in China stopped falling and began to recover, with the market average reaching 7,332 CNY/ton, an increase of 029% from the beginning of the month The peak maintenance periods for PX and PTA pushed up costs, supporting the price of polyester staple fiber The industry's operating rate remained around 75%, with inventory slowly decreasing Demand during the textile off-season was moderate, limiting the room for price increases

• cost support
• polyester staple fiber prices
• textile off-season
• inventory depletion

This week, the market price of acrylonitrile in China fell significantly, with the East China and Shandong markets dropping to 9,350 CNY/ton and 9,200 CNY/ton, respectively Weak demand and ample supply have led to increased bearish sentiment, prompting suppliers to actively lower prices

• Acrylonitrile market: prices decline
• demand weakens
• supply exceeds demand.

Recently, the prices of polyethylene have increased, with LLDPE, LDPE, and HDPE rising by 3.36%, 8.74%, and 2.93% respectively. The cost support from crude oil and plant maintenance have led to a tight spot market, and petrochemical companies are keen on maintaining high prices. However, the off-season for demand has limited the potential for further price increases, and it is expected that in the short term, polyethylene prices will remain in a narrow range at high levels.

• Polyethylene prices
• market demand
• low inventory levels
• crude oil cost support

This week, the price of polyester bottle chips first increased and then declined, with the weekly average price at 7,031 CNY/ton, a 0.40% increase from the previous week. The cost support weakened, supply was loose, and downstream demand was flat. A significant drop in futures dragged down the sentiment for spot prices. It is expected that next week, prices will show a weak fluctuation, and the focus may fall back to the range of 6,900-7,050 CNY/ton.

• Polyester bottle flakes
• narrow-range fluctuations
• cost support
• weak supply and demand

This week, the caustic soda price overall decreased, from 652 CNY/ton at the beginning of the week to 643 CNY/ton at the end of the week, a price decrease of 1.37%. In Shandong, the price increased, while in Zhejiang, it remained stable, and in Inner Mongolia, it was in a state of consolidation. The weak demand for alumina led to an accumulation of inventory in caustic soda enterprises, and it is expected that the caustic soda price will tend to consolidate in the future.

• Caustic soda prices
• market analysis
• alumina demand
• inventory accumulation

This week, the styrene market in China stopped falling and began to rise. From July 6 to 10, the average price increased from 7,380 CNY/ton to 7,810 CNY/ton, a price increase of 5.83% within the period, but it was still down by 1.24% year-on-year.

• Styrene Market
• Price Increase
• Weekly Analysis
• Chemical Products