Chemical Prices Today (August 11, 2026): Daily Market Trends & Price Changes

Basic chemicals traded mixed on August 11, with notable divergence across commodity chains. Sodium Carbonate recorded the strongest gain, surging 21.65% day-on-day and 22.65% week-on-week, supported by tight spot availability and speculative buying despite a broader industry backdrop still characterized by high inventories and ongoing supply-side adjustments in China’s soda ash sector. Ammonium Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Hydrochloric Acid, and Formic Acid also posted solid gains, reflecting improved procurement activity in fertilizer, water treatment, and industrial processing markets. Meanwhile, energy-linked products including Methanol, Propylene, and Benzene moved higher as crude oil and refining sentiment remained supported by recent developments in China's fuel export policy and recovering refinery operating rates. On the downside, Acetone, Dichloromethane, Ammonium Sulfate, and Ethylene Glycol weakened amid cautious downstream demand and ample supply. Although Acetone declined 2.14% on the day, it remained up 11.36% month-on-month, suggesting prices continue to trade above historical averages despite short-term corrections. Battery materials showed mixed performance, with Lithium Carbonate rebounding slightly by 0.70% but still down 7.31% month-on-month, while Cobalt remained under pressure, reflecting continued weakness in the global EV raw materials market.

Fine chemicals markets showed significant volatility on August 11, led by a sharp rebound in Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO), which surged 11.63% day-on-day as spot availability tightened and downstream pharmaceutical and specialty chemical buyers returned to replenish inventories after a prolonged period of cautious purchasing. Despite the strong daily increase, DMSO remained 2.88% below levels seen a month earlier, indicating the market is still recovering from earlier demand weakness. In contrast, PTMEG (Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol) fell 9.21%, marking the steepest decline within the segment, as sluggish spandex and textile demand continued to weigh on procurement activity despite relatively stable upstream BDO costs. Recent industry reports suggest operating rates at downstream fabric mills remain subdued, limiting PTMEG consumption and pressuring producers to lower offers. Oleic Acid also weakened by 2.56% on the day following profit-taking and softer buying interest, although prices remained up 14.76% month-on-month, supported by earlier strength in vegetable oil and oleochemical feedstocks. Meanwhile, Melamine edged lower by 0.39%, but continued to post gains on both weekly and monthly bases, reflecting resilient demand from laminate, wood panel, and resin applications. Recent market developments indicate that melamine prices have been supported by balanced supply-demand fundamentals and stable upstream urea costs, allowing the product to maintain an overall firm trend despite short-term fluctuations. Overall, the fine chemicals sector remained mixed, with specialty solvent markets benefiting from supply-side tightening while polymer intermediates linked to textile demand continued to face downward pressure.

Energy, plastics, and rubber markets were generally supported by stronger upstream energy prices on August 11, with WTI Crude Oil rising 5.13% day-on-day to USD 82/barrel. The rally was driven by renewed concerns over global crude supply balances, stronger-than-expected fuel demand indicators, and improving sentiment across commodity markets. Supported by higher crude values, Gasoline gained 1.26% and remained up 6.43% month-on-month, reflecting healthy transportation fuel consumption and firmer refinery economics. In contrast, Anthracite recorded the sharpest decline across the segment, falling 10.00% on the day as coal inventories remained adequate and industrial procurement slowed following recent price increases, although weekly performance remained positive. Asphalt edged lower by 0.35%, as demand from infrastructure and road construction projects remained seasonally moderate despite support from stronger crude feedstock costs. Within the plastics sector, ABS and HDPE posted modest gains of 0.28% and 0.24%, respectively, supported by stable petrochemical feedstock prices and gradual restocking activity from packaging, appliance, and consumer goods manufacturers. In the rubber chemicals chain, Silica increased 0.55% amid steady tire industry demand and stable raw material costs, while Carbon Black slipped 0.55% as downstream tire producers maintained cautious purchasing strategies despite improving energy market sentiment. Overall, the sector remained relatively stable, with higher crude oil prices providing support to fuel and polymer markets, while coal-related products and selected rubber additives continued to face pressure from cautious industrial demand and sufficient supply availability.