August 12 news
This week, the Chinese hydrogen fluoride market remained stable overall, with prices holding steady at a high level. According to the monitoring and analysis system, as of August 12, the benchmark price of hydrogen fluoride was 16,300.00 CNY per ton, unchanged from the beginning of the month. The current price is at a historical high for the past year.
On the raw materials front, cost-side support remains in place. This week, China's fluorite market prices rose. Meanwhile, the sulfuric acid market—a key raw material—experienced a range-bound decline. As a result, the raw materials market is showing a mixed pattern of rises and falls, with production companies generally adopting a cautious wait-and-see approach toward raw material conditions. According to analysis systems, as of August 12, the benchmark price for fluorite stood at 3,537.50 CNY per ton, up 3.10% from the beginning of this month (3,431.25 CNY per ton).
Supply side: The industry's operating rate remains low. Due to the force majeure in the North China region in July, which led to a sharp drop in the industry's operating rate to 43%, the tight supply situation continued into August. Although operations slightly recovered in the latter part of the month, the overall supply remains tight.
On the demand side, overall downstream performance remains weak. In terms of long-term contract pricing for refrigerants in August, major manufacturers quoted prices in the range of 14,700 to 14,900 CNY per ton. Although quotes from mainstream fluorinated refrigerant manufacturers remain firm, terminal demand has noticeably declined, resulting in a generally stable market atmosphere. Industry players are cautiously watching the resumption of operations by major northern manufacturers and continue to produce solely based on existing orders. As for electronic-grade hydrofluoric acid, the downstream photovoltaic industry is primarily focused on depleting existing inventories.
Market Forecast: Hydrofluoric Acid Analysts Predict: In the short term, although cost support remains in place, demand continues to weaken, leaving the market lacking upward momentum. Consequently, downward correction pressure is becoming more pronounced, and the market is likely to exhibit a volatile, bearish trend in the near future. Further attention should be paid to the progress of resumption of operations at major northern manufacturers and whether the traditional peak season demand in the downstream refrigerant industry can be effectively released.
