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

Basic chemicals turned broadly firmer, led by Methanol, Ethylene glycol, Acetic acid, Ethyl acetate, PET, and Propylene glycol, while the renewed Middle East geopolitical tensions continued to lift crude oil and supply-risk premiums across the chemical chain. Methanol rose 4.94% day on day to CNY 3,250/ton, with weekly and monthly gains reaching 6.85% and 17.58%, respectively, as energy costs and broader chemical futures sentiment strengthened. Ethylene glycol climbed 4.53% to CNY 5,930/ton, supported by concerns over Middle East shipping disruptions and tight East China port inventories. PET increased 3.54%, reflecting higher PTA and MEG costs, supply-side constraints, and stronger cost-driven pricing in the polyester chain.

Upstream aromatics also strengthened, with Benzene, Toluene, Xylene, and Propylene rising 2.50%, 1.82%, 1.78%, and 2.78%, respectively. The move was consistent with firmer crude oil prices and renewed supply-risk concerns, while August data also showed that Toluene had already gained nearly 8.9% over the month, supported by higher feedstock costs and relatively tight domestic availability. Acetic acid advanced 2.72% to CNY 3,400/ton, with regional markets reporting low producer inventories and stronger producer offers, while Ethyl acetate jumped 5.57% to CNY 5,930/ton as the solvent market followed the stronger upstream acetic acid chain.

Several other products posted moderate gains, including Propylene glycol, Copper sulfate, Phenol, Formaldehyde, and Sodium bicarbonate. Propylene glycol rose 3.66%, while Copper sulfate recorded the strongest single-day move at 7.03%. The gains suggest that cost inflation and firmer industrial procurement are beginning to transmit beyond the core energy-linked products. Meanwhile, Boric acid remained unchanged on the day but retained a solid 2.63% weekly and 3.80% monthly increase, indicating relatively firm industrial demand despite the broader market volatility.

On the downside, Sulfur remained the clearest weak spot, falling 6.96% over the week and 9.23% over the month, while Sulfuric acid declined 1.37% on the day and 4.41% over the month. The recent correction in sulfur has been driven by easing tightness and improving availability after the earlier supply-driven rally, with downstream phosphate fertilizer producers already seeing improved margins. Dichloromethane also remained under pressure, falling 0.51% on the day and 8.76% on the week, while Isopropyl alcohol slipped 1.64% daily and 3.48% weekly, indicating continued weakness in selected solvent markets despite the broader energy-driven rally.

Overall, the market is showing a clear divergence between energy- and import-sensitive chemicals and products driven mainly by domestic supply-demand fundamentals. Methanol and Ethylene glycol remain the strongest monthly performers, up 17.58% and 12.46%, respectively, while Benzene, Toluene, Xylene, and Acetic acid have also accumulated sizable monthly gains. In contrast, Sulfur, Dichloromethane, Sulfuric acid, and Cobalt remain under pressure. With crude oil prices rising again amid renewed Middle East tensions, near-term chemical prices are likely to remain highly sensitive to geopolitical developments, freight disruptions, and inventory conditions, although weak downstream demand may limit further upside in some products.

Fine chemicals showed a strongly differentiated market on September 1, with Dimethyl sulfoxide, Trichloroethylene, Sodium benzoate, and Dimethyl carbonate leading the upside, while most other products remained broadly stable. The sharpest moves were concentrated in supply-sensitive products rather than across the entire sector, suggesting that tight availability, production disruptions, and low operating rates were more important than broad-based demand growth. Meanwhile, Citric acid, Glycolic acid, Hydroquinone, Lactic acid, Sodium hypochlorite, Trichloroacetic acid, and Water softener salt were unchanged, highlighting a relatively cautious downstream purchasing environment.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) recorded the strongest broad-market gain among the major fine chemicals, jumping 12.64% day on day to CNY 12,250/ton, with weekly and monthly increases of 8.71% and 11.31%, respectively. The move reflects a rapidly tightening spot market and significant regional price dispersion. Recent market quotations showed DMSO prices ranging widely across China, with different grades and origins quoted from around CNY 9,400-13,000/ton and some higher quotations in downstream trading channels. The combination of limited spot availability, firm producer offers, and replenishment demand has pushed the market sharply higher, although the large regional price spread suggests that liquidity and actual transaction prices should be monitored closely.

Trichloroethylene was the most extreme daily mover, rising 33.57% to CNY 6,100/ton and gaining 30.01% over the month. The magnitude of the move points primarily to a supply-side repricing rather than a sudden improvement in end-user demand. Public quotations in Shandong were already around CNY 6,000-6,500/ton in early September, compared with quotations around CNY 3,200-4,000/ton in April-May, confirming that the product has undergone a substantial repricing during 2026. The market therefore appears to be responding to tighter availability and higher producer pricing after a prolonged period of relatively low prices.

Sodium benzoate also posted an unusually large 15.00% daily increase to CNY 13,800/ton. However, the sharp move should be interpreted cautiously because current market quotations show significant differences by manufacturer, grade, packaging, and region. Recent supplier quotations included standard industrial and food-grade material around CNY 8,300-10,200/ton, while some packaged or specific-brand quotations were around CNY 13,800/ton. This suggests that the latest benchmark increase may partly reflect product-grade and quotation structure effects in addition to genuine market strengthening. Nevertheless, August quotations remained relatively firm, indicating that the market has moved away from its earlier lows.

Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) continued its steady upward trend, increasing 0.67% on the day, 4.85% on the week, and 10.93% on the month. Recent market reports identified tight supply, low plant operating rates, and overlapping maintenance shutdowns as the key drivers. Several domestic units were reported to be undergoing maintenance or operating at reduced rates, leaving producers with limited spot availability and a large share of output committed to earlier orders. On September 1, Shandong Huahu Hengsheng raised its industrial-grade DMC ex-factory list price by CNY 100/ton, providing further confirmation of the tightening supply environment and reinforcing the upward price trend.

Elsewhere, Oleic acid advanced 1.70% to CNY 10,000/ton, extending its weekly and monthly gains to 1.97% and 2.76%, respectively, while Melamine edged up 0.40% as the market remained relatively balanced. In contrast, Potassium permanganate fell 3.13% to CNY 15,500/ton, reversing some of the recent firmness despite weekly and monthly changes remaining flat. The decline appears more consistent with short-term transaction and inventory adjustments than with a major change in the industry's fundamental supply-demand balance.

Overall, the Fine Chemicals market is increasingly characterized by a two-speed structure. Supply-constrained products such as DMSO, Trichloroethylene, Sodium benzoate, and DMC are experiencing sharp repricing, while most traditional additives, acids, salts, and water-treatment chemicals remain stable. The key market risk for September is that production interruptions and low operating rates could continue to amplify price volatility in relatively small spot markets. At the same time, the absence of broad-based downstream demand acceleration suggests that products without a clear supply-side catalyst may continue to trade sideways. Buyers are therefore likely to remain more active in securing products with tight availability, while taking a more cautious approach toward products with adequate inventories.

Energy markets strengthened sharply on September 1, led by WTI Crude Oil, Asphalt, and Gasoline, as renewed U.S.-Iran military tensions revived concerns over Middle East supply disruptions. WTI Crude Oil in the benchmark dataset rose 3.61% to USD 86/barrel, while the latest international settlement showed WTI rising more than 5% to above USD 90/barrel. The renewed escalation around the Strait of Hormuz, together with attacks on commercial tankers, significantly increased geopolitical and transportation risk premiums. The move is therefore primarily supply-risk driven rather than demand driven, with the potential to transmit higher costs into refining products, petrochemicals, plastics, and other oil-linked chemicals.

Within refined energy products, Asphalt increased 2.86% day on day to CNY 5,100/ton, extending its weekly and monthly gains to 5.71% and 14.22%, respectively. The sustained increase reflects higher crude oil and refinery feedstock costs, while the traditional September infrastructure season provides additional support for road construction demand. Gasoline also rose 1.42% to CNY 9,514/ton, with monthly gains reaching 8.14%, as higher crude prices lifted refinery product costs. In contrast, Kerosene declined 2.38% to CNY 8,200/ton, indicating that not all refined products are moving in tandem and that product-specific supply-demand conditions remain important.

Plastics moved higher but remained more selective than the energy complex. ABS rose 2.38% to CNY 10,733/ton, bringing its weekly and monthly gains to 2.22% and 8.60%. The increase was supported by higher crude oil and petrochemical feedstock costs, particularly firmer styrene and benzene values, while Chinese styrene operating rates fell to around 63.55% in late August amid heavy maintenance and East China port inventories declined sharply. However, downstream EPS, PS, and ABS producers have faced margin pressure and resistance to high offers, suggesting that the current ABS rally is still largely cost- and supply-driven rather than the result of strong end-user demand.

HDPE advanced 1.65% to CNY 10,788/ton, despite a slight weekly decline of 0.10%, indicating that the latest move is more closely linked to the broader crude and polyethylene feedstock recovery than to a strong demand breakout. Recent Chinese polyethylene market data showed stronger futures activity and a sharp year-on-year decline in domestic LDPE imports, which may tighten local availability and provide support to spot polyethylene prices. Nevertheless, the relatively modest monthly increase of 2.43% for HDPE compared with ABS suggests that polyethylene pricing remains more balanced and less exposed to the sharp styrene-chain repricing seen in ABS.

Other major plastics showed limited movement. EAA remained unchanged at CNY 58,400/ton and POE stayed at CNY 16,300/ton, indicating that higher crude oil costs have not yet translated into a broad-based repricing of specialty polymer products. The divergence between ABS and these higher-value polymers highlights the importance of individual supply-demand fundamentals. In particular, POE remains dependent on photovoltaic and specialty elastomer demand, while weak downstream margins can delay the pass-through of higher feedstock costs.

Rubber markets were comparatively stable. Silica remained unchanged at CNY 6,067/ton, with only a 0.17% weekly and 1.07% monthly increase. This relative stability suggests that the current oil-driven inflation has not yet generated a meaningful second-round increase in tire and rubber raw-material procurement. Higher energy and transportation costs provide a cost floor, but weak or cautious downstream purchasing continues to limit the ability of producers to pass through higher costs aggressively. The rubber chain therefore remains more defensive than the oil-linked plastics chain.

Other Chemicals also remained relatively stable, with Carbon unchanged at CNY 12,267/ton. The product gained only 0.70% over the month, indicating limited direct transmission from the current crude oil rally. Compared with energy-intensive and petrochemical-linked products, activated carbon is more dependent on feedstock availability, environmental applications, water treatment, and industrial procurement conditions. As a result, its price trend is currently less sensitive to short-term movements in crude oil.

Overall, the four sectors are showing a clear cost-push inflation pattern. Energy is the strongest segment, with WTI, Asphalt, and Gasoline all posting solid gains, while Plastics are beginning to absorb higher upstream costs through ABS and HDPE. However, the lack of movement in EAA and POE and the stability of Silica and Carbon indicate that downstream demand remains selective. The key risk for September is that prolonged disruption around the Strait of Hormuz could push crude oil materially higher and trigger another round of feedstock cost increases across aromatics, olefins, styrenics, and polymers. If geopolitical tensions ease, however, products with weak downstream demand may struggle to sustain the current cost-driven rally.

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