Chemical Prices Today (July 1, 2026): Daily Market Trends & Price Changes

China's Basic Chemicals market showed a mixed performance on July 1, with price movements largely driven by supply-side adjustments and selective downstream restocking. Ammonium chloride surged more than 15% day-on-day as domestic supply tightened following plant maintenance and stronger fertilizer procurement, while Propylene, Phenol, and Formic acid also posted notable gains amid improved spot buying and production cost support. In contrast, Methanol recorded the sharpest daily decline, extending its monthly loss to over 15% as abundant domestic supply, recovering imports, and weak downstream consumption continued to pressure the market. Phosphoric Acid, Ammonium sulfate, and Ethylene glycol also weakened on softer fertilizer and industrial demand. Meanwhile, aromatics including Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene remained relatively stable on the day despite maintaining negative monthly performance, reflecting continued cautious purchasing amid ample regional supply. Industry sentiment remained mixed as oversupply continued to weigh on bulk petrochemicals, although selective restocking and temporary supply disruptions provided short-term support for several products. Recent industry reports also indicate that global Methanol and Propylene markets remain under pressure from abundant capacity and sluggish downstream demand, while China's domestic chemical market continues to experience differentiated pricing driven primarily by individual product fundamentals rather than broad-based demand recovery.

China's Fine Chemicals market displayed divergent price trends on July 1, with supply-demand fundamentals continuing to drive individual product performance. Poly(ethylene glycol) recorded the strongest gain, rising 6.8% day-on-day and more than 23% from a month earlier, supported by tight spot availability, sustained procurement from pharmaceutical and personal care sectors, and firmer feedstock costs. Citric acid also extended its upward momentum, posting both weekly and monthly gains as export demand remained stable and manufacturers maintained firm quotations. Sodium acetate edged slightly higher amid balanced market fundamentals and steady downstream purchasing. In contrast, Tetrahydrofuran (THF) experienced a sharp daily correction of nearly 12%, reversing recent gains as supply recovered following previous maintenance outages while demand from the spandex and PTMEG sectors remained subdued. Overall, the fine chemicals market continued to exhibit product-specific pricing dynamics, with specialty additives and pharmaceutical-related products benefiting from resilient demand, whereas solvent and intermediate markets remained vulnerable to oversupply and cautious downstream buying. Recent industry developments also suggest that uneven recovery across downstream manufacturing sectors and ongoing cost fluctuations will likely keep fine chemical prices differentiated in the near term.

The Energy, Plastics and Rubber market remained generally soft on July 1, as weaker crude oil prices continued to weigh on downstream sectors despite isolated supply-driven gains. WTI Crude Oil declined further, extending its monthly loss to nearly 15% amid easing geopolitical risk premiums, expectations of adequate global supply, and persistent concerns over fuel demand growth. The softer crude market also pressured Gasoline and ABS, both of which remained in negative monthly territory as cautious downstream purchasing and ample inventories limited price recovery. In contrast, Kerosene jumped 5% day-on-day, supported by stronger seasonal aviation fuel demand and tighter spot availability, while Asphalt edged slightly higher on improved road construction activity and steady infrastructure demand despite weaker feedstock costs. Meanwhile, Silica continued to soften as procurement from the tire and rubber industries remained conservative. Overall, market sentiment across the energy and downstream materials chain remained cautious, with crude oil weakness continuing to influence petrochemical pricing, while seasonal demand and localized supply factors provided selective support for refined products. Recent industry developments indicate that expectations of higher OPEC+ production and resilient non-OPEC supply have continued to pressure international oil prices, leaving downstream plastics and rubber markets largely demand-driven in the near term.