Cost Support Loosens, Polyester Staple Fiber Prices Fluctuate and Consolidate

November 26 news

According to the commodity market analysis system, the recent price of polyester staple fiber in China has been fluctuating and consolidating. As of November 26, the average market price for polyester staple fiber (1.4D*38mm) was 6,306 CNY per ton, an increase of 0.18% from November 13.

In the crude oil market, despite OPEC+’s latest round of production increases, the market remains concerned about the long-term risk of supply surplus. Although regional tensions have eased somewhat and U.S. demand has weakened, the ongoing U.S. tariff issue continues to weigh on the global economy and dampen demand expectations, leading to a slight decline in international oil prices. As of November 25, the settlement price for the January contract of U.S. WTI crude oil futures was $57.95 per barrel, down $0.89, or 1.5%. The settlement price for the February contract of Brent crude oil futures was $61.80 per barrel, down $0.92, or 1.5%.

Recently, the PTA market in China has been consolidating at a high level, remaining at a relatively high position over the past two months. As of November 26, the spot price of PTA in East China was 4,654 CNY/ton, up 0.20% from November 10. In terms of supply, Yisheng Ningbo's 2.2 million ton PTA facility was shut down on November 20, and Honggang Petrochemical's 2.5 million ton facility was shut down on November 17 and restarted on November 26. The current PTA operating load is around 72%, with multiple facilities undergoing maintenance. As some short-term maintenance concludes, there is some pressure on supply.

Terminal demand is beginning to show signs of cooling down. Yarn mills are now selling goods on a per-order basis, with prices adjusted appropriately and offering favorable discounts. Market sentiment toward staple fiber remains cautious. Currently, textile mills in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions continue to rely primarily on previously secured orders for their production rhythm; however, new orders are gradually weakening, putting increasing pressure on them, and their willingness to procure raw materials has declined.

Analysts believe that with recent slight easing in cost-side prices providing weak support, and the domestic consumer market gradually weakening, it is expected that the price of polyester staple fiber will trend weaker.