ECHEMI Analysis

This week, the Chinese acrylonitrile market stabilized due to insufficient domestic demand. Supply decreased, but so did demand. Rising costs have led to a narrowing of profits. Prices in East China and Shandong have slightly decreased, while CFR South Asia prices have increased. It is expected that the market will slightly decline under the influence of both internal and external factors.

• Acrylonitrile market: insufficient demand
• reduced supply
• rising costs

Recently, the polyethylene market in China has been fluctuating at high levels. The price of LLDPE fell by 0.36%, while the prices of LDPE and HDPE increased by 2.00% and 2.19%, respectively. The cost side is supported by high crude oil prices, and the supply side has contracted due to concentrated spring inspections. However, weak demand is suppressing price increases. It is expected to be strong in the short term but a correction should be guarded against.

• Polyethylene market: high-level fluctuations
• cost support
• weak demand

This week, the caustic soda price remained stable, with the market average price at 738 CNY/ton, a year-on-year decrease of 1098% The quotations in Shandong, Zhejiang, and Inner Mongolia regions were 670-810 CNY/ton, 1000-1050 CNY/ton, and 2300-2400 CNY/ton (converted to 100%), respectively In terms of supply, although the operating rate of enterprises has increased, there is significant inventory pressure, and downstream demand is cautious

• Caustic soda prices
• trading in a consolidation phase
• inventory pressure
• downstream demand

This week, the styrene market price in China fluctuated and fell, dropping from 10,540 CNY/ton at the beginning of the week to 10,180 CNY/ton by the end of the week, with an overall price decrease of 3.42%.

• Styrene Market
• Price Decline
• Weekly Price Decrease
• Market Analysis

This week, the price of DOP stopped rising and fell, from 10,25917 CNY/ton on April 1st to 10,27583 CNY/ton on April 10th The ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran led to a decrease in crude oil prices, and the prices of raw materials such as isooctanol and phthalic anhydride also declined, resulting in a reduction in the cost of DOP It is expected that the price of DOP will remain weak and consolidate in the future

• DOP price
• crude oil market conditions
• isooctanol price
• phthalic anhydride price

This week, the price of propylene oxide in China’s market first rose and then stabilized As of April 10, the benchmark price stood at 13,300 CNY per ton, up 813% On the raw material side, propylene prices surged initially but then retreated; on the supply side, frequent plant maintenance activities led to a decline in operating rates Meanwhile, demand-side sentiment remained strongly resistant to high prices, prompting the market to adopt a cautious wait-and-see approach

• Propylene oxide
• market price
• supply-demand relationship
• cost support

This week (April 6–10), China’s polymeric MDI market prices continued to rise, with a weekly price increase of 399% Supply is tightening Major manufacturers have raised their suggested retail prices and are offering discounts, while imports have dwindled On the cost side, the rebound in crude oil prices has driven benzene prices to fluctuate strongly but remain relatively firm

• Polymerized MDI
• market price
• tightening supply
• cost support

This week, the price of sodium metabisulfite in China increased by 16.34%, rising from 3,366 CNY per ton at the beginning of the week to 3,916 CNY per ton by the end of the week. The continuous rise in the price of upstream raw material sulfur has driven up the price of sodium metabisulfite. It is expected that the market price in China will maintain a strong and volatile trend in the short term.

• Sodium metabisulfite
• price increase
• market analysis
• future forecast

From April 3 to 10, the BDO market supply increased, with limited overall growth in demand, leading to a wider supply-demand gap and a slowing of price increases. The price of carbide decreased, while the price of methanol remained firm, influenced by favorable cost factors. Downstream industries showed varied operating conditions, with a weaker ability to accept high-priced raw materials. It is expected that the BDO market will mainly see a consolidation after the increase.

• BDO market
• increased supply
• impact on the demand side
• favorable factors on the cost side

In early April, the urea market price in China slightly increased. The average urea market price in Shandong region was 1872 CNY/ton, up by 0.40% from the beginning of the month. In terms of supply, the operating rate is about 90%, with demand gradually decreasing but compound fertilizer enterprises increasing their purchases. It is expected that the urea price will fluctuate narrowly and rise in the short term.

• Urea Prices
• Market Analysis
• Supply and Demand Situation
• Future Market Forecast

In 2026, the natural rubber market trend fluctuated and rose As of April 7, the spot price was 16,933 CNY/ton, an increase of 1037% from the beginning of the year Global production is expected to grow by 24% to 15,200,000 tons, but Thailand and Indonesia are struggling to increase production Demand is moderately recovering, with consumption expected to be 15,600,000 tons, resulting in a supply-demand gap of about 400,000 tons

• Natural rubber market: Prices are fluctuating and rising
• supply-demand gap
• upward cycle phase

Affected by the news of a US-Iran ceasefire, energy and chemical futures plunged across the board, with WTI crude oil prices falling by more than 19% The PET bottle flake market, supported by low inventory levels, shrinking supply, and strong underlying demand, demonstrated remarkable resilience against price declines, with price decreases significantly smaller than those of raw materials

• Energy Chemical Futures
• PET Market
• Soaring Oil Prices
• Resilience Against Declines

In early April, the PP market in China fluctuated at high levels, with prices showing both increases and decreases Raw material costs were highly volatile, and due to concentrated maintenance, the operating rate of the supply side dropped to around 71%, with weekly production falling short of 690,000 tons The demand side was cautious, with a lackluster downstream trading atmosphere, and the overall market was in a wait-and-see mode

• PP market conditions
• cost support
• reduced supply
• cautious demand

Recently, the price of lithium carbonate in China has been fluctuating upwards. As of April 8th, the benchmark price for battery-grade lithium carbonate was 156,000 CNY per ton, a 1.3% increase from the previous period and a 117% increase year-over-year. The supply side has been affected by the ban in Zimbabwe and the fuel crisis in Australia, while the demand side is being strongly driven by energy storage and new energy vehicles. Future trends will depend on changes in supply and demand.

• Lithium carbonate prices
• supply-side disruptions
• growing demand for energy storage
• recovery of the new-energy vehicle market

This week, the price of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride in China increased due to cost pressure, with the benchmark price of hydrofluoric acid reaching 15,100 CNY per ton, a 2.95% increase from the beginning of the month. The rise in the cost of raw materials such as sulfuric acid and fluorspar, along with tight supply, has pushed up the price of hydrofluoric acid by 500-800 CNY per ton. Downstream refrigerant demand remains stable but purchases are cautious.

• Anhydrous hydrogen fluoride
• rising costs
• sulfuric acid costs
• tight fluorite supply

The price of isooctanol rose from approximately 6,700 CNY per ton in early March to 9,500 CNY per ton by April 8, representing a price increase of 42.5%. Following the two-week ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran, crude oil prices fell, leading to a decrease in isooctanol costs. With supply and demand in a stalemate, the outlook for isooctanol prices is one of volatile downward trends.

• Xinol market conditions
• U.S.-Iran ceasefire
• crude oil prices
• supply and demand deadlock

In early April, the price of n-butanol in Shandong increased from 8,566 CNY/ton to 8,933 CNY/ton, a price increase of 4.28%. The rise in raw material costs and good supply and demand conditions supported the upward trend in market prices. It is expected that in the short term, prices will maintain a strong and fluctuating trend, possibly reaching the 9,000 CNY/ton mark. In the medium to long term, prices may remain at high levels with fluctuations.

• Butanol prices are trending upward
• cost support is strengthening
• supply-demand dynamics remain favorable
• the market is experiencing high-level fluctuations.

The acrylic acid market, after a significant rise in March, showed signs of weakening at high levels in early April, with prices slightly falling to 13083.33 CNY/ton. The supply side maintained a tight balance, while the demand side was weak, and the cost side provided strong support. In the short term, prices may fluctuate within the range of 12800-13200 CNY/ton, and it is recommended to operate cautiously.

• Acrylic Market: Prices Weakening
• Supply-Demand Dynamics
• Technical Signals

On April 8, the average market price of ammonium sulfate in China was 1813 CNY/ton, an increase of 2.26% from April 1. High international urea prices have been beneficial to the ammonium sulfate market, with firm factory quotations. It is expected that the market price of ammonium sulfate will continue to rise in the short term. Technical analysis shows that the trend is in line with the upward trend, but it is recommended to be cautious about future price increases.

• Ammonium sulfate prices
• market conditions
• supply and demand situation
• future market outlook

On April 8, international crude oil prices plummeted, with both WTI and Brent crude falling below $100 per barrel The primary reasons were the temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran, expectations of resumed navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and an unexpectedly large build-up in US crude oil inventories, all of which triggered a concentrated unwinding of geopolitical risk premiums

• International crude oil
• geopolitics
• sharp drop in oil prices
• accumulating inventories