Price Trends

In August, the lithium carbonate market in China experienced a "rollercoaster" trend, with prices first rising and then falling. The shutdown of CATL's Jianxiawo mine caused market fluctuations, but the overall supply surplus situation remained unchanged. The surge in energy storage demand partially offset the impact of the off-season for new energy vehicles, and it is expected that future prices will fluctuate around the cost line.

• Lithium carbonate market
• CATL mine shutdown
• growth in energy storage demand
• oversupply

Recently, the price of acetic acid has remained stable, with an average market price of 2400 CNY/ton The capacity utilization rate on the supply side has slightly decreased, and the inventory pressure for enterprises is not significant, with downstream demand being met as needed Upstream methanol prices have been weakly fluctuating, with an average price of 230667 CNY/ton, a decrease of 052%

• Acetic Acid Market
• Price Trends
• Methanol Market Conditions
• Acetic Anhydride Market

As of August 26, the benchmark price of melamine was 5675.00 CNY/ton, a decrease of 2.58% from the beginning of the month. This month, due to tight supply, prices rebounded to 5600 CNY/ton, but the decline in the cost of urea weakened support. It is expected that prices will fluctuate within the range of 5300-5600 CNY/ton in the short term, and attention should be paid to the demand and plant resumption in September.

• Melamine Market: Supply Contraction
• Price Fluctuations
• and Weakening Cost Support

In the period from January to July 2025, China's phenol import volume was 167,500 tons, a year-on-year increase of 37.86%. The main sources of imports were Saudi Arabia (accounting for 69.72%), Thailand, Singapore, and others. Although there was maintenance on Saudi facilities in April, it had little impact in the first half of the year. It is expected that in the second half of the year, due to new production capacity and plant maintenance, the import volume will decrease.

• Phenol Imports
• China's Chemical Market
• Saudi Arabia's Phenol-Ketone Facility
• Chemical Supply Chain

This week, the price of 2-ethylhexanol in China fell due to increased supply, with a decrease of 0.81%. The equipment operating rate rose to 92%. The price of downstream plasticizer DOP stopped falling and rebounded. It is expected that the supply of 2-ethylhexanol in China will continue to increase, with stable demand, and market prices will tend to stabilize at a weak level.

• Isooctanol prices decline as supply increases
• plasticizer DOP prices rebound amid isooctanol market inventory buildup.

This week, the ethylene glycol price showed a strong fluctuation The average price of oil-based ethylene glycol in China rose to 450167 CNY/ton The spot contract price at the port strengthened, with the spot price of coal-based polyester-grade ethylene glycol ranging from 4050 to 4100 CNY/ton The overseas transaction price was between 532 and 536 US dollars/ton

• Ethylene glycol prices
• trending stronger
• port arrivals
• polyester peak season expectations

The current cyclohexane market in China is stable, with moderate downstream demand and low purchasing enthusiasm. Cyclohexanone facilities are operating normally, but supply has decreased in the Inner Mongolia region, leading to a limited overall price increase. Analysts expect the cyclohexane market to remain stable in the short term due to insufficient upstream cost support.

• Cyclohexane market
• downstream demand
• market stabilizes
• cost support remains weak

On August 25, the Chinese phenol market price increased slightly by about 30 CNY/ton. Sinopec's listed prices in East China and North China were 6,800 CNY/ton and 6,850 CNY/ton, respectively. The inventory at Jiangyin Port rose to 12,000 tons, and traders showed a clear tendency to quote high prices. It is expected that on the 26th, Sinopec will increase the price by 100 CNY/ton to 6,900 CNY/ton, and the market will remain firm or see a slight increase.

• Phenol Market: Price Hike
• Inventory Levels
• Operating Rates

Recent domestic petroleum coke prices have continued to decline, with prices in Shandong falling by 5.30% compared to August 18. Crude oil prices have been fluctuating and rising, but downstream companies are cautious in their purchases, and demand is moderate, leading to weak market transactions. Calcined coke prices have risen, with acceptable trading volumes. It is expected that the domestic petroleum coke market will remain weak and consolidate in the near future.

• Local refinery petroleum coke faces declining market conditions
• downstream buyers remain cautious
• calcined coke prices
• however
• are on the rise.

This week, the market price of pure benzene in China showed a slight fluctuation and increase, rising from 6,14533 CNY/ton to 6,272 CNY/ton, with a weekly price increase of 043% The international crude oil futures and foreign pure benzene prices both increased, but weak downstream demand limited the price increase

• Pure benzene prices
• market analysis
• crude oil futures
• downstream demand

This week, the caustic soda price in China remained firm, with the average price at the beginning of the week at 860 CNY/ton, rising to 862 CNY/ton by the end of the week, a price increase of 023%, and a year-on-year increase of 708% In Shandong, the quotes ranged from 800 to 890 CNY/ton, while in Jiangsu, they stabilized between 870 and 930 CNY/ton In Inner Mongolia, the quotes were between 2700 and 2800 CNY/ton (converted to 100%)

• Caustic soda prices
• market analysis
• chemical industry index
• downstream demand

This week, the styrene market price in China increased slightly, rising from 7,568 CNY/ton at the beginning of the week to 7,594 CNY/ton by the end of the week, with a price increase of 0.34%.

• Styrene
• Price Trend
• Market Analysis
• Chemical Product

This week, the TDI market in East China slightly declined, with the average price dropping from 15,666 CNY/ton to 15,400 CNY/ton, a decrease of 17% The second phase of Wanhua's facility in Fujian is being commissioned, and the force majeure at the German plant continues The major factory in Shanghai has reduced its supply to support Europe Yantai Wanhua and Gansu Yinguang are undergoing plant maintenance, and the toluene market is falling

• TDI market: prices decline
• supply remains tight
• downstream demand weak.

This week, the market price of Aniline in China remained stable at 7,550 CNY/ton, a decrease of 27.09% compared to the same period last year. The market shows a stalemate and consolidation trend, with companies facing significant inventory pressure, and downstream demand mainly driven by essential needs. The cost support for benzene is acceptable but lacks momentum to rise. It is expected that the Aniline market in China will operate weakly in the short term.

• Aniline market: prices stable
• inventory pressure
• pure benzene cost support

This week, the titanium dioxide market in China showed a steady improvement, with companies jointly announcing price increases. The average price of sulfate process rutile titanium dioxide was 13,480 CNY per ton, with market quotations ranging from 12,900 to 13,800 CNY per ton. It is expected that the market will continue to maintain a steady and positive trend in the short term.

• Titanium dioxide market
• price increase
• market analysis
• future forecast

This week, the activated carbon price remained stable at 12,933 CNY/ton, with steady market transactions but lacking positive support. China is highly dependent on imports for coconut shell carbonized materials, mainly from the Philippines and Indonesia. It is expected that the activated carbon price will maintain a volatile trend in the short term.

• Activated carbon prices
• market shipments
• coconut shell carbonized material
• import dependency

This week, the isopropanol market price in China decreased from 5,675 CNY/ton at the beginning of the week to 5,625 CNY/ton by the end of the week, a decrease of 0.88%. The overall market situation was average, with limited purchasing intentions from downstream buyers, who were mostly observing and being cautious. It is expected that the market will mainly focus on observation and stable consolidation in the short term.

• isopropyl alcohol
• market price decrease
• chemical market
• future forecast

This week, the price of sodium metabisulfite in China increased, with the average price of industrial-grade products rising from 2000 CNY/ton to 2033 CNY/ton, a price increase of 1.67%. The price of upstream soda ash remained stable, while the price of sulfur increased by 0.51%. The price of downstream caprolactam decreased by 0.37%. It is expected that in the short term, the market for sodium metabisulfite will mainly show a trend of fluctuation with a slight upward bias.

• Sodium metabisulfite
• price trends
• market analysis
• cost support

From August 15 to 22, the price of ethanol in China fell to 5,575 CNY/ton, with a decline of 1.33% during the period. The cost and demand factors were bearish, while the supply factor had mixed impacts. It is expected that the short-term ethanol market will continue to operate weakly.

• Ethanol Market: Prices Decline
• Cost Factors Weigh Down
• Weak Demand

This week, the Chinese acetone market continued to show weakness, with the national average price falling from 4780 CNY/ton to 4720 CNY/ton, a decrease of 126% The listed price of Sinopec enterprises was reduced to 4700 CNY/ton, and the volume of ship cargoes in the East China region was 41,000 tons The decline in raw material prices led to weaker cost support, causing phenol and acetone manufacturers to incur losses, with an operating rate of about 75%

• Acetone market
• prices fall
• East China region
• raw material costs weaken