Chemical Prices Today (August 20, 2026): Daily Market Trends & Price Changes

Basic chemicals showed a divergent price trend on August 20, with sharp gains in several inorganic and oleochemical products while some solvents and metals weakened. Ammonium chloride rose 11.39% day-on-day to CNY 880/ton, while Copper sulfate and Zinc oxide surged 26.32% and 32.78%, respectively. The strong move in zinc oxide was consistent with continued tightness in the upstream zinc concentrate market, where treatment charges remained under pressure and smelter profitability was constrained. Meanwhile, Ethylene glycol gained 2.08% and remained 10.95% higher month-on-month, supported by low domestic operating rates and expectations of continued inventory destocking amid uncertainty surrounding Middle East supply.

Aromatic chemicals remained firm, with Toluene and Xylene increasing 2.20% and 2.29% respectively, while Benzene edged up 0.12%. The recent strength in the aromatics complex has been supported by higher international oil-related pricing and stronger futures sentiment. Market data showed substantial gains in PX, pure benzene and related chemical futures earlier in the week, while regional solvent xylene quotations also strengthened after international oil prices rose amid renewed geopolitical uncertainty. However, physical benzene prices in East China softened slightly on August 20, suggesting that the recent rally is increasingly being balanced by spot-market resistance.

Within oxygenated solvents and downstream derivatives, Ethyl acetate rose 4.40%, Propylene glycol gained 3.91%, and Acetic anhydride increased 1.66%, while Acetic acid advanced 0.96%. The broader acetate market remained relatively supported, with industry pricing data showing an increase in the acetate index on August 20. At the same time, Acetone fell 2.23% and Isopropyl alcohol declined 2.32%, indicating weaker spot demand and a more selective downstream procurement pattern. Recent domestic market assessments also showed acetone prices fluctuating around CNY 6,600-6,650/ton, highlighting resistance to further upward movement.

Metal-related chemicals recorded some of the day's largest moves. Iron powder jumped 22.00% to CNY 6,100/ton, while Copper sulfate surged 26.32% to CNY 27,000/ton and Zinc oxide climbed 32.78% to CNY 23,900/ton. These large one-day changes suggest a combination of tight availability, cost pass-through and product-specific supply conditions rather than a broad-based demand recovery. In the zinc chain, recent market data pointed to continued tightness in zinc concentrate supply, persistently low treatment charges and pressure on smelter margins, providing a fundamental cost-side floor for zinc-related products.

At the other end of the spectrum, Cobalt dropped 3.33% day-on-day and remained 10.16% lower on a monthly basis, while Dichloromethane and Sulfur declined 3.01% and 3.16%, respectively. Formic acid remained under considerable pressure, down 12.16% month-on-month, while Hydrogen peroxide was 10.60% lower over the same period. These declines indicate that weak downstream purchasing and sufficient supply continue to weigh on several mature chemical chains, despite firmer pricing in selected energy- and feedstock-sensitive products.

Fertilizer-related products remained mixed. Urea rose 1.00% on the day but was still down 2.92% month-on-month, while Ammonium nitrate and Potassium chloride were unchanged. Ammonium sulfate also remained flat on the day, but its weekly decline reached 2.43%. Recent industry assessments have pointed to weaker export sentiment and cooling procurement activity as downside factors for ammonium sulfate, with international nitrogen fertilizer prices weakening and export orders becoming less active.

Overall, the basic chemicals market is increasingly characterized by product-specific supply constraints and feedstock-driven differentiation rather than a uniform market direction. Strong monthly gains in Ethylene oxide (+12.41%), Ethylene glycol (+10.95%), Aniline (+9.35%), Xylene (+8.63%) and Hexane (+7.83%) contrast with persistent weakness in Formic acid, Hydrogen peroxide, Kaolin and Cobalt. The latest market signals also suggest that energy and geopolitical developments remain important short-term drivers, while downstream demand is still selective. As a result, price momentum is likely to remain uneven, with low-inventory products and supply-constrained chains retaining stronger upside potential than products facing ample availability.

Fine chemicals showed a highly divergent price trend on August 20, with sharp gains in selected specialty chemicals contrasting with pronounced corrections in several inorganic and polymer-related products. Among the tracked products, Sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) surged 22.50% day-on-day, Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) rose 11.63%, while Dimethyl carbonate increased 2.26%. In contrast, Calcium carbonate plunged 62.96% and Tetrahydrofuran/PTMEG fell 17.27%. The market therefore remained characterized by significant product-specific supply-demand differences rather than a broad-based directional move.

Calcium carbonate recorded the most dramatic decline, falling from CNY 1,350/ton to CNY 500/ton, equivalent to a 62.96% daily decrease and a 36.44% monthly decline. However, the magnitude of this move should be interpreted cautiously because calcium carbonate prices vary substantially by grade, particle size and application. Recent market quotations show industrial-grade calcium carbonate around CNY 500/ton in some regions, while food-grade and nano-grade products were quoted materially higher, indicating a wide product-quality spread. The latest data therefore suggest that the sharp decline in the tracked series is more likely related to a change in market quotation structure or product mix than to a uniform 63% collapse across the entire calcium carbonate market.

Sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) was the strongest gainer, climbing 22.50% day-on-day to CNY 4,900/ton. The move came despite the product remaining 20.05% lower on a weekly basis and 22.11% below its monthly level, suggesting that the daily jump may reflect a sharp rebound from an unusually depressed price base rather than a fully established uptrend. Recent market quotations show substantial price differentiation by molecular weight and grade, with standard industrial products around CNY 4,000-5,800/ton while food-grade products can command significantly higher prices. This large specification spread means short-term price changes should be viewed together with grade and application differences.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) advanced 11.63% to CNY 12,000/ton, reversing part of its recent weakness. The product remained 3.22% lower month-on-month, indicating that the latest rally has not yet fully changed the medium-term trend. Recent domestic quotations have shown a wide range depending on origin and purity, with 99.5%-99.9% domestic material quoted around CNY 10,600-13,200/ton in some markets, while higher-purity and imported products were substantially more expensive. The latest increase therefore appears consistent with tightening spot availability and a normalization of previously low quotations, although the broad price dispersion suggests that downstream buyers remain highly price-sensitive.

Dimethyl carbonate continued to strengthen, rising 2.26% on the day and reaching a monthly gain of 11.29%. The product has therefore maintained one of the stronger upward trends within the Fine Chemicals basket. Its pricing is supported by demand from downstream applications including solvents and lithium-ion battery-related materials, while feedstock costs and operating rates remain important determinants of short-term margins. The combination of positive weekly and monthly momentum indicates that the DMC market currently has a firmer underlying tone than most of the other products in the category.

Among fatty-acid derivatives, Oleic acid remained elevated despite falling 2.56% on the day. The product was still 14.89% higher month-on-month, making it one of the strongest monthly performers in the category. Recent domestic quotations showed considerable regional and grade differences, with mainstream industrial quotations generally ranging across several thousand yuan per ton. The recent correction therefore appears to be a profit-taking and spot-price adjustment after a strong monthly rally, rather than evidence of a broad collapse in the oleochemical market.

Potassium permanganate declined 3.13% day-on-day and 2.52% over the week, although it remained marginally higher on a monthly basis. The decline suggests weaker short-term purchasing interest and pressure from available supply after the market's earlier firming. By comparison, Melamine was nearly stable, slipping only 0.19% on the day while remaining 3.74% higher month-on-month, indicating that the product continues to receive some support from its upstream cost structure despite relatively cautious downstream demand.

At the lower end of the monthly performance range, Sodium acetate was unchanged on the day but remained 8.74% lower month-on-month, while Calcium acetate was flat but 2.45% below its monthly level. Citric acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, ferric chloride, hydroquinone and sodium hypochlorite also showed limited daily movement, highlighting relatively stable supply-demand conditions in several mature specialty chemical chains. The broad stability suggests that downstream customers are still adopting a just-in-time procurement strategy rather than aggressively rebuilding inventories.

Overall, the Fine Chemicals market remained fragmented and highly specification-sensitive. The strongest monthly gains were concentrated in Oleic acid (+14.89%), Dimethyl carbonate (+11.29%), Melamine (+3.74%) and Citric acid (+3.14%), while Calcium carbonate, Sodium polyacrylate and Sodium acetate recorded significant monthly declines. The combination of sharp single-day movements and large differences between product grades indicates that inventory position, production availability and product specifications are currently more important price drivers than broad industry-wide demand. Looking ahead, products with tightening supply or stronger downstream application demand may retain upward momentum, while commodities with abundant capacity and weak purchasing interest are likely to remain under pressure.

Energy, plastics, rubber and other chemicals showed a generally firm but highly differentiated trend on August 20. Energy products were supported by renewed geopolitical risk, with WTI crude oil remaining 3.85% higher on a monthly basis and Gasoline gaining 7.40%, while Asphalt rose 3.33% on the day. International crude prices strengthened sharply on August 20 as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions and continued disruption around the Strait of Hormuz increased the geopolitical risk premium. WTI settled at around USD 87.83/barrel, its highest level since July 24, while Brent reached USD 93.78/barrel.

Gasoline increased 0.52% day-on-day to CNY 8,904/ton and remained one of the strongest performers in the Energy basket, with a 7.40% monthly gain. The strength reflects the pass-through from higher international crude prices as well as tighter refined-product supply. Recent market commentary indicates that the Middle East conflict has disrupted regional refining capacity and transportation routes, pushing refined fuel prices higher even as U.S. crude inventories increased by 4.4 million barrels. This divergence between crude inventories and refined-product availability suggests that refining constraints and geopolitical logistics are currently more important than crude inventories for gasoline pricing.

Asphalt rose 3.33% on the day to CNY 4,495/ton, reversing part of its recent weakness. The move was consistent with the stronger crude oil complex, as crude oil is a major cost driver for asphalt production. International oil prices have risen for five consecutive sessions amid concerns over the prolonged Iran conflict and restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. However, Asphalt remained 0.53% lower month-on-month, indicating that the latest increase is more likely a cost-driven rebound than a complete reversal of the domestic asphalt market's medium-term weakness.

In plastics, ABS, HDPE and PVC were unchanged on the day but retained positive weekly momentum. ABS was up 4.46% over the week and 2.54% over the month, while HDPE gained 0.48% weekly and 0.67% monthly. Recent Asian HDPE assessments showed prices moving higher in parts of the region as firmer producer offers, higher upstream costs and elevated freight rates increased import replacement costs. At the same time, buyers remained cautious and resisted aggressive price increases, suggesting that cost-side support is stronger than underlying demand growth.

PVC remained stable at CNY 4,600/ton, with a modest 0.75% weekly increase and a 0.46% monthly decline. Recent Chinese market assessments described PVC spot prices as relatively firm, with trading activity remaining reasonable and the product still positioned at a relatively low level over the one-year cycle. This combination provides some downside protection, although the limited monthly recovery indicates that weak downstream demand continues to cap the upside.

The most significant negative movement came from POM, which fell 34.43% day-on-day from CNY 6,100/ton to CNY 4,000/ton. The extreme single-day adjustment, combined with a 26.24% monthly decline but still positive weekly change of 3.95%, points to a data-point or quotation-basis adjustment rather than a conventional market-wide price movement. Given the magnitude of the decline, the figure should be interpreted carefully and checked against product grade, origin and quotation methodology before being used as evidence of a fundamental POM market collapse.

In rubber-related materials, Silica remained unchanged at CNY 6,033/ton, but was 0.27% higher over the week and 0.74% higher over the month. The stable pricing suggests relatively balanced supply and demand, while the modest positive trend is consistent with continued cost support from the broader petrochemical and energy complex. By contrast, the absence of a sharp daily move indicates that downstream tire and rubber producers have not yet shown sufficient procurement strength to generate a significant spot-price breakout.

Among other products, Anthracite remained unchanged but was down 2.51% weekly, while Carbon was flat on the day and only 0.72% lower month-on-month. Kerosene fell 2.38% on the day and remained 0.25% lower monthly, despite the stronger crude environment. The divergence between crude oil and some refined or solid energy products highlights the importance of product-specific inventories, domestic demand and refining economics. In particular, the current oil rally is not translating uniformly into every energy product because higher feedstock costs are being offset by differences in downstream demand and local supply conditions.

Overall, Energy, Plastics, Rubber and Other Chemicals remained cost-supported but demand-constrained. The strongest monthly gains were concentrated in Gasoline (+7.40%), WTI Crude Oil (+3.85%), ABS (+2.54%) and HDPE (+0.67%), while POM and Kerosene showed notable weakness. The major external driver remains the escalating Middle East geopolitical situation and the resulting disruption risk around the Strait of Hormuz, which has pushed crude and refined-product prices higher and increased the cost floor for petrochemical products. Nevertheless, cautious downstream procurement continues to limit the pass-through into plastics and rubber. In the near term, energy prices are likely to remain the key upside risk for petrochemical costs, while weak end-user demand and high inventory levels could continue to cap gains in polymers.