Chemical Prices Today (August 18, 2026): Daily Market Trends & Price Changes

Basic chemicals showed a broadly firm tone, with several products posting notable gains amid tighter supply and stronger cost support. Acetonitrile surged 9.29% day-on-day to CNY 8,550/ton, marking the strongest increase among the tracked products, as the market continues to be supported by relatively tight supply and resilient downstream demand. Recent industry data also indicate that acrylonitrile supply reductions and maintenance at major producers have tightened the related chain, while acetonitrile demand from peptide-related applications and exports has remained supportive. Ammonium chloride climbed 8.64% to CNY 880/ton, while Ferrous sulfate jumped 22.22% to CNY 440/ton, reflecting tighter availability and continued cost support from the sulfur-related chain. The sulfur market has remained structurally firm due to constrained global supply and growing demand from phosphorus chemicals and new-energy applications, providing a supportive cost backdrop for sulfuric-acid-linked products. Meanwhile, Benzene, Propylene, Propylene glycol, and Ethyl acetate also rose by 2.97%, 2.90%, 4.27%, and 4.40%, respectively, pointing to firmer upstream costs and selective replenishment demand. On the downside, Dichloromethane fell 4.00%, Hydrochloric acid declined 4.26%, and Titanium dioxide decreased 2.03%, indicating continued pressure in some chlor-alkali and downstream chemical segments. Acetone also weakened 1.63%, consistent with a relatively adequate supply environment and cautious downstream purchasing. Overall, the market remains differentiated, with supply tightness and upstream cost support driving selected products higher, while products with ample inventories or weaker downstream demand continue to face correction pressure.

Fine chemicals traded in a highly differentiated pattern, with a small number of products posting sharp moves while most markets remained stable. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was the strongest performer, surging 11.63% day-on-day to CNY 12,000/ton, as tight spot availability and significant price differentiation across grades and regions continued to support the market. Recent market data showed China’s DMSO domestic benchmark already around CNY 12,000/ton in late July, with premium and high-purity grades trading considerably higher, indicating that supply tightness and grade-specific demand remain important factors. Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) remained unchanged at CNY 4,417/ton but retained a firm medium-term trend, with weekly and monthly gains of 0.78% and 10.99%, respectively. Recent industry analysis has pointed to supply contractions, maintenance-related spot tightening, improving export expectations and cost support as the key drivers behind DMC’s upward trend. Meanwhile, Sodium thiosulfate remained flat on the day but recorded a substantial 20.41% weekly increase, suggesting that recent supply-demand tightening has already been reflected in spot prices. In contrast, the oleochemical segment came under pressure. Lauric acid fell 6.32% day-on-day to CNY 16,800/ton, while Oleic acid declined 2.56% to CNY 9,500/ton. Although both products have maintained strong monthly gains of -0.87% and 14.85%, respectively, the latest correction suggests profit-taking and softer downstream purchasing after the previous rally. Upstream feedstocks remain relatively firm, with palm kernel oil in East China previously assessed around USD 2,200/ton CFR in late July, while international vegetable-oil markets have also been affected by supply disruptions and substitution demand. Trichloroethylene was another major decliner, dropping 8.33% to CNY 4,125/ton and extending its weekly and monthly losses to 3.78% and 4.15%, respectively. The decline is consistent with a relatively weak chlorinated-solvent market and sufficient availability, with late-July domestic trichloroethylene prices already around CNY 4,200/ton. Potassium permanganate also edged down 0.80%, while Melamine slipped 0.21%, reflecting limited buying momentum. Overall, the fine chemicals market remains polarized: specialty solvents such as DMSO are benefiting from tighter spot conditions, DMC continues to receive structural support from supply contraction and export demand, while oleochemicals are undergoing short-term correction after strong monthly appreciation and chlorinated solvents remain under pressure from relatively ample supply. Most other products, including Citric acid, Glycolic acid, Hydroquinone, Lactic acid, and Ferric chloride, remained stable, indicating that downstream purchasing remains selective rather than broadly expansionary.

The four sectors showed a generally firm but differentiated market pattern, led by Energy, while Plastics and Rubber remained moderately supported and Other Chemicals were largely stable. In the Energy sector, WTI Crude Oil jumped 3.66% day-on-day to USD 85/barrel, extending its weekly and monthly gains to 3.70% and 2.56%, respectively. The latest rally was mainly driven by renewed geopolitical risk in the Middle East, particularly growing concerns over the Strait of Hormuz after U.S.-Iran negotiations failed to produce a clear agreement. WTI closed around USD 84.94/barrel on August 18, while Brent reached approximately USD 91/barrel, with limited shipping activity through the strategic waterway raising concerns over potential supply disruptions. The stronger crude market also supported Gasoline, which increased 1.06% to CNY 8,785/ton and has gained 6.88% over the past month. By contrast, Anthracite, Asphalt, and Kerosene remained unchanged, indicating that the crude rally has not yet translated into broad-based strength across all domestic energy products. In Plastics, ABS rose 1.01% to CNY 10,050/ton, bringing its weekly gain to 3.77% and monthly increase to 1.67%. The move reflects stronger upstream cost support from crude oil and petrochemical feedstocks, together with selective replenishment demand. HDPE also edged higher by 0.35% to CNY 10,550/ton, although its much smaller weekly and monthly gains of 0.34% and 0.54% suggest that demand remains relatively cautious. Overall, plastics are receiving support from the upstream energy complex, but the market has yet to enter a broad demand-driven rally. The Rubber sector remained largely stable, with Silica unchanged at CNY 6,000/ton while maintaining modest weekly and monthly gains of 0.08% and 0.61%. Recent developments in the silicone chain show that industry-wide production reduction expectations have provided supply-side support to silicone intermediates and downstream rubber products, although market reports also indicate that actual downstream demand growth remains limited. This suggests that the current rubber market is being supported more by supply discipline and cost factors than by strong end-user consumption. In Other Chemicals, Carbon increased 0.54% to CNY 12,233/ton, while Anaerobic bacteria remained unchanged at CNY 50/kg. The overall sector continued to trade sideways, with no clear evidence of broad-based demand expansion. Looking ahead, the key market driver across these four sectors remains the energy complex: sustained crude oil strength and elevated geopolitical risk could continue to provide cost support for petrochemical products, particularly ABS and other oil-linked plastics, while a stabilization in crude prices or an improvement in Middle East shipping conditions would reduce upward cost pressure. For Rubber and Other Chemicals, supply-side discipline and downstream purchasing activity are likely to remain more important than crude oil alone.