Weekly Offers and Analyses for Chemicals (Apr 9-13, 2018 )

Weekly offers and analyses for chemicals this week are as follows:

Polyether Polyol: The soft-foam polyether polyol market was stable. Relevant product TDI kept dropping, and the mindset of sponge market players was not good, reluctant to buy polyether polyol. The supply of raw material propyleneoxide was tight, so the price went up. So the cost pressure of polyether polyol increased. There were no quotations from the factories at the moment.

Sodium Hydroxide: This week, the sodium hydroxide market was weak. As the downstream players were bearish about market, the transaction volume was low. The market held a wait-and-see attitude. Price was expected to drop. The reference price of sodium hydroxide was $740/mt FOB Qingdao.

Adipic Acid: The supply of adipic acid was more sufficient than in March. The downstream demand was light and stable. Most players held await-and-see attitude. The supply side was bearish about the market. The market price went down. The reference price of adipic acid was$1,580/mt FOB Qingdao.

Citric Acid Monohydrate: As the supply side increased the price, some factories had a tight schedule for delivery. The factories' quotations were stable. lt's possible that the price will go up. The reference prices of citric acid monohydrate were $780/mt FOB Qingdao.

Citric Acid Anhydrous: As the supply side increased the price, some factories had a tight schedule for delivery. The factories' quotations were stable. It's possible that the price will go up. The reference prices of citric acid anhydrous were $880/mt FOB Qingdao.

Sodium Citrate Dihydrate: As the supply side increased the price, some factories had a tight schedule for delivery. The factories' quotations were stable. It's possible that the price will go up. The reference prices of sodium citrate dihydrate were $880/mt FOB Qingdao.

Texanol: Influenced by the fluctuation of is obutyraldehyde, the price of texanol is expected to move sideways. The reference price of texanol was $1,785/mt FOB Qingdao.

Pentaerythritol: The supply in Chinese market was still tight. Chinese pentaerythritol factories in normal operation had a full order schedule. The domestic trade price was expected to keep going up. The demand from other countries was low. There were not many actual orders. According to the production, transportation and order schedule situation, the price would not drop. The reference price was $1,700/mt FOB Tianjin.

Phosphoric Acid: The operating rate of white phosphorus factories was low and the pricewas high and stable. The price of phosphoric acid also increased. The operating rate of phosphoric acid factories was not optimistic. In the short term, the stock of white phosphorus is expected to be tight. The price of phosphoric acid is expected to go up. The reference price of phosphoric acid was $927/mt FOB Qinzhou.

Methyl Acetate: The operating rate of Chinese acetate factories was normal. The price of raw material acetic acid was also stable. In the short term, the downstream demand will be relatively stable. The reference price of methyl acetate was $927/mt FOB Zhangjiagang.

Ethyl Acetate: The operating rate of Chinese acetate factories was normal. The price of raw material acetic acid was also stable. In the short term,the downstream demand will be relatively stable.The reference price of ethyl acetate was $1,236/ mt FOB Zhangjiagang.

Propyl Acetate: The operating rate of Chinese acetate factories was normal.The price of raw material acetic acid was also stable. In the short term, the downstream demand will be relatively stable. The reference price of propyl acetate was $1,494/mt FOB Zhangjiagang.

Phthalic Anhydride: The Chinese phthalic anhydride market went down, and there were notmany actual orders. The demand of end users stayed the same. As theprice of downstream DOP kept dropping, there were not many price inquires and sales of phthalic anhydride. ln addition, the price of petrochemical o-benzene decreased dramatically. Players were bearish about the market. In the future, the demand will not change. The buying atmosphere was weak influenced by the poor condition ofupstream and downstream market. It is expected that the price will keep dropping.

Sodium Benzoate: The sodium benzoate price was stable this week. The production and sales were balanced. The downstream demand was relatively weak. Most players waited and saw. The price would probably keep stable.

Benzoic Acid: The benzoic acid price was stable this week. The production and saleswere balanced. The downstream demand was relatively weak. Most players waited and saw. The price would probably keep stable.

Melamine: The Chinese melamine market was full of bullish sentiments. Someunits were undergoing maintenance. The overall operating rate washigh and some goods were surplus. USD offers for melamine were around $1,200/mt FOB Qingdao.

Potassium Sorbate: Chinese producers held firm offers on the limited inventories. After the FIC, the exchange rate declined. The USD offers of potassium sorbate was $3,900/mt FOB Qingdao.

VC: Foreign customers showed a wait-and-see position. After FIC, Chinese VC producers stopped offering to the market. Offers were $6,500/mt FOB Qingdao.

Sodium Nitrite: Soda ash units were undergoing maintenance in East China and Central China. The supply shrank and prices went up. Sodium nitrite producers held bullish sentiments. Offers for sodium nitrite were $700/mt FOB Lianyungang.

Sodium Nitrate: Soda ash units were undergoing maintenance in East China and Central China. The supply shrank and prices went up. The overall sodium nitrate market was full of bullish sentiments. Offers for sodium nitrate were $650/mt FOB Lianyungang.

SLES: The price of palm oil moved marginally recently. Though the supply was not much in the Chinese market, imported goods were plenty. The overall trading was cautious. USD offers were $1,300/mt FOB Shanghai.

Sodium Metabisulfite: Soda ash prices increased on the maintenance. Sodium metabisulfite prices increased on the tight supply of raw materials. Offers for sodium metabisulfite were $425/mt FOB Qingdao.

CMC: Raw material prices of CMC moved down after the Spring Festival. Dealing prices for CMC were negotiable. Offers for CMC with viscosity 2000-3000 from Jiangsu Tailida were $2,650/mt FOB Shanghai.

Xanthan Gum: Offers for food-grade xanthan gum (80 mesh) from Fufeng were RMB 18,000/mt in cash with prices for 200 mesh being RMB 18,500/mt in Linyi, Shandong. Offers for xanthan gum (200 mesh) from Fufeng were $2,600/mt FOB Qingdao.

TDI: The Chinese TDl market saw poor trading. The overall demand for the TDI was inactive. Prices may inch down in the coming market. USD offers were $4,200/mt FOB Shanghai.

Glutaraldehyde: The environmental protection supervision was strict and some producers' production was influenced. Offers for medical-grade glutaraldehyde were $2,750/mt FOB Shanghai.

Sulfamic Acid: lnfluenced by the changes in exchange rate and raw materials, the downstream demand was stable. The prices were firm. USD offers for sulfamic acid were $640/mt FOB Qingdao.

STPP: The supply-demand was balanced and the prices were stable in Chinese STPP market, though prices of raw materials moved down. The reference price of STPP was $1,050/mt FOB Fangcheng.

SHMP: The supply-demand was balanced and the prices were stable in Chinese SHMP market, though prices of raw materials moved down. The reference price of SHMP was $1,245/mt FOB Huangpu.

SAPP: The supply-demand was balanced and the prices were stable in Chinese SAPP market. The reference price of SAPP was $1,270/mt FOB Shanghai.

Dextrose Monohydrate: As the corn prices in part of factories increased, corn starch prices followed. Though the corn auction in Northeast China was weak, the transportation in North China was influenced, which supported the market. The dextrose monohydrate price was $480/mt FOB Dalian. DBE market saw the peak season of sales, and the output in DBE factories was insufficient. The reference price of DBE (in barrel) was $1320/mt FOB Qingdao.

DBE: DBE market saw the peak season of sales, and the output in DBE factories was insufficient. The reference price of DBE (in barrel) was $1320/mt FOB Qingdao.

Aldehydo-D-Glucose: With the corn prices in part of factories increasing, the corn starch price followed. Offers for the medical-grade aldehydo-d-glucose were $700/mt FOB Dalian.

TCCA: lnfluenced by the environment protection and "coal shift to gas", the operating rate increased slowly. The reference price of TCCA was $1,640/mt FOB Lianyungang.

Titanium Dioxide: The Chinese rutile titanium dioxide market moved stably. The downstream demand was flat. Producers' operating rate was stable. Mainstream negotiation prices for rutile titanium dioxide were in the range of RMB 15,700-17,800/mt. Some goods were traded below RMB 15,500/mt. Some goods were traded below RMB 15,500/mt. Offers were $2,700/mt FOB Qingdao.

Maltodextrin: As the corn price increased continually, the demand for maltodextrin wasincreased. Though the corn auction in Northeast China was weak, the transportation in North China was influenced, which supported the market. The maltodextrin price increased continually. The reference price of maltodextrin was $515/mt FOB.