Chemical Prices Today (August 31, 2026): Daily Market Trends & Price Changes

Basic chemicals traded with a mixed tone, as Methanol, Sodium carbonate, Glycerol, and Boric acid posted notable gains, while Magnesium chloride, Dichloromethane, Sulfur, and Acetone weakened. Methanol jumped 5.99% on the day to CNY 3,097/ton, supported by port destocking, typhoon-related vessel disruptions, tighter spot availability, and stronger regional quotations. Meanwhile, Sodium carbonate rose 6.38% as late-August industry initiatives on production cuts and price increases, together with stronger futures sentiment, improved market expectations, although elevated inventories and relatively loose supply-demand fundamentals continue to limit the upside. Glycerol surged 12.5% to CNY 9,000/ton, while Boric acid gained 3.64%, with imported boric acid remaining at historically high levels and showing continued upward momentum. In contrast, Dichloromethane fell 5.39% to CNY 2,245/ton amid weaker market pricing and downward adjustments from producers, while Sulfur declined 4.79% as the market continued its correction from the exceptionally high levels seen earlier in the year. Aromatic chemicals remained relatively firm, with Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene rising 1.37%, 1.39%, and 1.43%, respectively, supported by stronger crude oil prices and improved market sentiment amid renewed geopolitical tensions. Overall, the chemical market is entering September with a clear divergence between supply-tight products and those facing high inventories, while the broad wave of chemical price increases taking effect from September 1 is providing additional cost-side support across the downstream industry.

Fine chemicals showed a mixed but generally firm tone, with Glycerol and Dimethyl carbonate emerging as the strongest gainers, while Oleic acid experienced a notable correction after a strong monthly rally. Glycerol surged 12.5% to CNY 9,000/ton, supported by firmer oleochemical markets and relatively strong imported glycerol costs, making it the strongest daily performer in the basket. Dimethyl carbonate rose 1.37% to CNY 4,950/ton and has gained more than 14% over the month, with producers continuing to raise quotations; notably, Hualu Hengsheng increased its industrial-grade DMC ex-factory price by CNY 200/ton on August 31, reinforcing the upward momentum. Meanwhile, Oleic acid fell 2.56% to CNY 9,500/ton, but remained up nearly 15% on a monthly basis, suggesting that the latest decline is more consistent with profit-taking and downstream resistance after a strong rally than with a fundamental deterioration. The oleochemical cost environment remains relatively supportive, although higher palm oil inventories in Malaysia are limiting further upside. Citric acid remained stable at CNY 6,200/ton, with export demand continuing to provide a key source of support; China's July citric acid exports reached more than 81,000 tons, while the average export price climbed to around USD 821/ton, up more than 21% year on year. Melamine edged up 0.19% and remained moderately higher on a monthly basis, while Dimethyl sulfoxide was unchanged at CNY 12,250/ton but remained 2.24% below its level one month earlier, indicating relatively cautious downstream procurement. Overall, the Fine Chemicals market is being shaped by a combination of product-specific supply tightness, export resilience, oleochemical feedstock costs, and broader energy-price risks. China's August manufacturing PMI remained below the 50-point expansion threshold, although production, new orders and new export orders improved into expansion territory, pointing to a mixed demand backdrop. At the same time, renewed geopolitical tensions pushed Brent crude temporarily toward USD 90/barrel, increasing the potential for cost-push pressure on solvent, oleochemical and other petroleum-linked fine chemical products. The market therefore remains highly differentiated, with supply-constrained and export-oriented products retaining stronger upside potential while products facing ample inventories and cautious domestic demand are more likely to trade sideways.

Energy, plastics, and rubber markets strengthened overall, driven primarily by renewed geopolitical risks, higher crude oil prices, and firmer feedstock costs, while individual products continued to show significant divergence. In the Energy sector, Gasoline rose 2.32% on the day and 9.67% over the month, while Asphalt increased 4.20%, reflecting the combined impact of higher crude-related costs and improving market sentiment. WTI Crude Oil remained elevated at around USD 83/barrel in the reported dataset and gained more than 5% over the month, with renewed U.S.-Iran military tensions and continued uncertainty surrounding oil transportation through the Strait of Hormuz keeping a geopolitical risk premium in the market. Recent market reports indicate that Brent crude moved back toward USD 90/barrel as tensions escalated, while analysts continued to expect oil prices to remain relatively elevated as supply risks offset weaker Chinese demand. In the Plastics market, ABS rose 2.10% to CNY 10,483/ton and gained 4.69% over the month, supported by firmer petrochemical feedstock costs and improved polymer market sentiment. By contrast, POM fell sharply from CNY 5,600/ton to CNY 4,000/ton, representing a 28.57% daily decline and a 20.97% monthly contraction. The magnitude of this move is significantly larger than the broader plastics market and should therefore be treated with caution, as the change may reflect a product-grade, quotation, or data-definition adjustment rather than a conventional one-day market correction. HDPE remained stable at CNY 10,613/ton but maintained a modest 1.08% monthly gain, suggesting relatively balanced supply-demand conditions. In the Rubber sector, Carbon Black increased 0.79% to CNY 9,143/ton, while Silica remained unchanged at CNY 6,067/ton. Carbon black prices continue to benefit from higher energy and feedstock costs as well as relatively firm tire-sector demand, while silica fundamentals remain supported by the long-term shift toward low-rolling-resistance tires and the rapid adoption of electric vehicles. The broader Chinese rubber market also recorded across-the-board gains during August, providing a supportive demand backdrop for rubber additives and reinforcing materials. In the Other Chemicals segment, Carbon edged up 0.82% to CNY 12,267/ton, while Anaerobic bacteria remained unchanged at CNY 50/kg. Overall, the four markets are being shaped by a combination of higher energy costs, geopolitical supply risks, downstream demand recovery, and significant product-level differentiation. However, China's August manufacturing PMI remained below the 50-point expansion threshold at 49.8, indicating that domestic industrial demand is still not sufficiently broad-based. As a result, energy-intensive and petroleum-linked products such as gasoline, asphalt, ABS, and carbon black are likely to retain stronger cost-side support, while plastics and specialty products with high inventories or weak downstream orders may continue to experience greater volatility.

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