Policy & Regulation

In the past ten days, the market price of ammonium sulfate in China has continued to rise. The average price on March 17 was 1,531 CNY per ton, an increase of 11.80% from March 7. Due to the high international urea prices caused by the war in the Middle East, the cost of raw materials has increased, and the market supply is tight, which has driven the continuous rise in the price of ammonium sulfate. It is expected that the market price of ammonium sulfate will remain strong in the short term.

• Ammonium sulfate prices
• market conditions
• supply and demand situation
• future market forecast

This week, the polyester bottle chip market in China saw a strong rally, with a weekly price increase of nearly 30%, and the largest single-day price increase reaching 13%. The main driving factors include cost increases triggered by geopolitical issues, supply-side production cuts, and the release of peak demand. In the short term, prices are expected to remain strong, but there is a risk of a pullback in the medium term.

• Polyester bottle chips
• rising costs
• tight supply
• peak demand season

This week, aniline prices experienced volatile declines, dropping from 11,462 CNY/ton to 10,262 CNY/ton—a price decrease of 10.17%. Affected by the situation in the Middle East and the pullback in crude oil prices, cost support weakened, causing pure benzene prices to fall and softening the purchasing sentiment among downstream users. It is expected that aniline prices will remain at high levels in the short term.

• Aniline prices
• declining costs
• crude oil price correction
• changes in market supply and demand

From March 6 to 13, the price of methanol in the East China port market rose from 2,595 CNY/ton to 2,832 CNY/ton, an increase of 915% The sentiment in the futures market drove the spot market, coupled with favorable factors such as inventory reduction by companies and recovery in demand, leading to a significant rise in methanol prices The main methanol futures contract on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange closed at 2,805 CNY/ton, up 115%

• Methanol Market
• Price Rally
• Futures Impact
• Supply-Demand Changes

On March 11, the market price of acrylonitrile in China remained largely stable. The price at the East China ports was between 10,800 and 11,000 CNY per ton, while the price in Shandong region was between 10,750 and 10,850 CNY per ton. The decline in international oil prices led to a decrease in the price of propylene, the raw material. Although supply has decreased, the market sentiment is cautious, and overall prices are temporarily stable.

• Acrylonitrile Market
• Price Fluctuations
• Impact of International Oil Prices
• Reduced Supply

In early March 2026, the Chinese phenol market experienced a "roller coaster" trend, with price fluctuations exceeding 2,500 CNY/ton The geopolitical conflict in the Middle East triggered cost increases, followed by a sharp drop in prices due to the decline in crude oil Future trends will be influenced by geopolitical risks, cost differentiation, and changes in supply and demand

• Phenol market conditions
• geopolitical conflicts
• cost fluctuations
• supply-demand dynamics

This week, the mainstream price of propylene oxide in the Chinese market broke through 10,000 yuan, reaching 10,500 CNY per ton, with a price increase of 16.67%. The rise in raw material prices has pushed up production costs, and while the overall supply remains stable, some companies have reduced their output. On the demand side, downstream enterprises are cautious in their purchasing. It is expected that prices will remain high and stable in the short term.

• epoxy propane
• price increase
• raw material cost
• supply and demand relationship

Since March, the price of adipic acid has surged by more than 27%, increasing from 8,300 CNY/ton to 10,600 CNY/ton. The primary driver is the rise in costs, with the prices of pure benzene and cyclohexanone increasing by over 50% and 36%, respectively. Terminal demand is cautious, and it is expected that the adipic acid market will experience a slight correction in the future.

• Rising costs
• adipic acid market conditions
• raw material prices
• cautious demand

Since early March, the price of ethanol in China has risen to 5,716 CNY per ton, with a price increase of 3.48%. Cost, supply, and demand factors are all positive, driving the continuous rise in ethanol prices. It is expected that the future ethanol market trend will mainly be consolidation.

• Ethanol Market
• Price Increase
• Cost Support
• Supply-Demand Relationship

On March 9, 2026, the main PTA contract opened at its daily upper limit, with a price increase of 701% This surge was triggered by a sharp rise in crude oil prices due to escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz The higher cost of crude oil has driven up PTA prices; however, sluggish terminal demand is hindering the full transmission of these cost increases In the short term, geopolitical risks will continue to dominate PTA price movements

• PTA price fluctuation
• geopolitical risks
• rising crude oil prices
• supply-demand contradiction

In March, the price of phthalic anhydride in China surged to 7,46667 CNY/ton, with a price increase of 2141% Affected by the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East, the prices of crude oil and ortho-xylene skyrocketed, leading to an increase in the cost of phthalic anhydride The operating rate of phthalic anhydride enterprises rose to 65%, ensuring ample supply The price of DOP also significantly increased by 2175%, with demand on the rise

• Rising costs
• phthalic anhydride prices
• simultaneous increase in supply and demand
• impact of geopolitical crises

This week, the price of acrylonitrile has risen significantly, with the port price in East China reaching 8,650 CNY/ton and the market price in Shandong at 8,400 CNY/ton The rise in international oil prices and the cost of raw material propylene, driven by cost pressures and geopolitical risks, has greatly increased production costs The weekly capacity utilization rate of acrylonitrile plants in China has dropped to 7488%, with inventories decreasing to about 50,000 tons

• Rising costs
• acrylonitrile prices
• declining inventories
• recovering demand

This week, the price of polyester bottle chips broke through 7,000 CNY/ton, mainly driven by cost factors, especially the rise in crude oil and PTA prices. Supply is operating at a low level, with demand mainly driven by essential needs. In the short term, PET bottle chip prices are expected to fluctuate at a high level within the range of 7,000-7,500 CNY/ton.

• PET bottle flake prices
• rising costs
• tight supply
• stable demand

This week, the caustic soda price remained stable, with the market average price at 654 CNY/ton, a year-on-year decrease of 31.3%. In Shandong, Zhejiang, and Inner Mongolia regions, the prices for 32% ion-membrane alkali were 600-680 CNY/ton, 850-950 CNY/ton, and 2050-2150 CNY/ton (converted to 100%), respectively. Downstream demand was purchasing as needed, and it is expected that prices may continue to stabilize in the later period.

• Caustic soda prices
• market analysis
• chemical industry index
• supply-demand relationship

From March 2 to 6, the BDO price in China increased from 7,371 CNY/ton to 7,557 CNY/ton, a price increase of 252% The market has warmed up due to reduced supply and increased demand Some facilities have been shut down for maintenance, strengthening the support on the supply side The cost aspect is mixed, affected by the weakening of calcium carbide and the rise in methanol

• BDO market
• price increase
• supply reduction
• demand increase

From March 2 to 6, the quotation for methanol in East China ports of the Chinese market rose by 9.49% to 2,595 CNY/ton. Due to the escalation of geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, methanol prices have increased significantly. Downstream demand is gradually recovering, but some industries are still incurring losses. The supply has decreased due to plant maintenance, and external market prices have also risen. It is expected that the methanol market will remain strong in the future.

• Methanol market: prices rise
• demand recovers
• supply decreases.

From March 2 to 6, the price of MTBE in China increased from 5,383 CNY/ton to 5,733 CNY/ton, a price increase of 6.50%. Due to strong support from the cost side and the rise in international oil prices, the MTBE market in China has been significantly boosted. However, there are bearish factors on the supply side, and it is expected that the market will consolidate at high levels in the future.

• MTBE market
• rising oil prices
• cost support
• market demand

Key 2026 pharmaceutical regulatory updates across UAE, Saudi Arabia, GCC, Egypt and global agencies, with practical compliance insights for pharma companies.

• UAE
• MENA region
• Drugs
• Regulation
• pharmaceutical policy

This week (Mar 2-5), the Chinese PVC market was strong, with futures rising and driving up spot prices The resumption of downstream operations and a rush for exports supported market sentiment In the East China region, the price of PVC (calcium carbide method, SG-5) increased by 361%, with prices ranging from 4850 to 4900 CNY per ton

• PVC market: prices rise
• inventories remain high
• demand picks up.

From March 1st to 5th, the market price of cyclohexanone in Shandong, China, continuously increased, with a cumulative increase of 950 CNY/ton, and the current price is 8,250-8,350 CNY/ton The rise in production costs was driven by geopolitical tensions and an increase in the price of pure benzene, while tight supply and recovering demand supported the prices In the short term, prices are expected to remain high, with the possibility of a slight increase

• Cyclohexanone price
• cost support
• supply-demand relationship
• market forecast