Positive Factors Concentratedly Released, Acetone Market Strongly Rises After the Holiday

January 26th, news:

After the New Year's Day of 2026, the Chinese acetone market, which had been in a continuous slump in 2025, began a strong upward trend under the concentrated release of favorable factors. The price increase was significant, and market sentiment shifted from pessimism to optimism, with the industry landscape experiencing a phased reversal. In terms of market performance, the price of acetone in East China rose from around 4,057 CNY/ton on January 1st to 4,750-4,800 CNY/ton by January 26th, representing a price increase of 18.3% over more than 20 days. During this period, industry factories also raised their prices in tandem, further strengthening the market uptrend and injecting strong confidence into the market.

The facility utilization rate of phenol and acetone in China remains stable above 85%, with a sufficient supply base but manageable pressure. The main factories have no significant inventory buildup. Since January 5, the opening price of acetone has been increased in rounds, with a cumulative price increase of 650-800 CNY/ton, directly leading the market upward. Prices in all regions have followed the trend, with the East China region, as the main area, showing more significant fluctuations.

The port inventory shows a trend of “slight increase followed by a decline,” with limited pressure from inventory accumulation. After the holiday, the arrival of large Saudi vessels has led to a modest rebound in inventory levels; however, terminal purchases have simultaneously increased, effectively absorbing the available supply. As of January 19, inventory had fallen back to 28,000 tons, further reinforcing the expectation of tight supply and intensifying the downward trend in stock levels. On the import side, total acetone shipments for January amounted to 26,000 tons, of which 12,000 tons have already arrived and 14,000 tons are en route. Future supplies will mainly come from South Korea and Thailand, with no plans for concentrated arrivals in the near term, meaning there is no additional supply pressure in the short term.

Costs are providing solid support. Recently, the listed prices of pure benzene and propylene in China have increased by 200 CNY/ton and 350 CNY/ton, respectively, driving up the comprehensive cost of phenol and acetone. Due to the transmission of raw material price increases, the opening prices of phenol and acetone have also risen by 100 CNY/ton and 250 CNY/ton, respectively, effectively offsetting some of the cost pressure. It is expected that pure benzene and propylene will continue to fluctuate in the short term, with the cost support trend persisting.

The demand side is showing a pattern of structural differentiation, with strong support from core sectors. The operating rate in the Bisphenol A industry has risen to 67.49%, and procurement demand is steadily increasing. In the MMA industry, the operating rate has reached 64%; Yulong Petrochemical’s new 100,000-ton facility is scheduled to begin feedstock input in February, and bidding for acetone has already been launched, continuously boosting market sentiment. Although the operating rates in the isopropanol and MIBK industries have declined due to plant maintenance, the incremental demand from core downstream sectors is sufficient to offset the drag, providing solid demand support for the market.

Here are the acetone quotation situations in major mainstream markets across the country: