January Acetic Acid Market Prices First Rise and Then Fall

January 29th, News

According to the commodity market analysis system, the overall acetic acid prices in China rose in January. As of January 29, the average market price was 2830 CNY/ton, an increase of 80 CNY/ton from the beginning of the month when the price was 2750 CNY/ton, marking a 2.91% price increase within the month.

In January 2026, the acetic acid market showed a trend of first rising and then falling. In the first half of the month, acetic acid prices continued to rise, following the trend before New Year's Day. The main reason was that the supply side's maintenance facilities recovered slowly, leading to a tight market supply. The downstream demand for acetic anhydride increased, providing strong support for the acetic acid fundamentals, which pushed the acetic acid prices up continuously. In the latter part of the month, the capacity utilization rate of acetic acid increased, but the downstream demand was average, leading to an increase in enterprise inventory. As a result, the market sentiment weakened, and the acetic acid price levels declined.

The downstream acetic anhydride market in China has been strong. From January 1st to January 29th, the average ex-factory price of acetic anhydride increased from 4,275 CNY/ton to 4,590 CNY/ton, a price increase of 7.37%. On the supply side, some acetic anhydride manufacturers have halted production for maintenance, reducing the available supply in the market. The price of upstream acetic acid is also strong, providing good cost support. The downstream operations of acetic anhydride are stable, and the market fundamentals are strong, leading to a significant increase in the price of acetic anhydride within the month.

January methanol raw material market showed a strong fluctuation. As of January 29, the market average price was 2,284 CNY/ton, an increase of 3.49% compared to the beginning of the month at 2,207 CNY/ton. The supply of methanol spot in China is ample, with high inventories in the midstream and downstream sectors, leading to poor sales of methanol, and the market trend was mainly characterized by fluctuations. In the latter part of the month, market information suggested an expected reduction in methanol imports at ports, which led to a speculative rise in sentiment among traders, shifting the price center upwards. However, the high inventory levels in the methanol market put pressure on prices and provided limited support to acetic acid prices.

Future Market Forecast: Analysts believe that acetic acid units currently undergoing maintenance are resuming operations, and the operating rate is steadily increasing. Meanwhile, inventories at some enterprises are rising, weakening supply-side support. Downstream buyers are making purchases based on actual demand, and there may be stockpiling activities ahead of the Spring Festival. Market sentiment remains cautious. It is expected that acetic acid prices will first decline and then rise next month; specific attention should be paid to how downstream demand evolves.