Methacrylic acid

Methacrylic Acid Market Intelligence Report (Recent Commodity Market Dynamics)

I. Price Dynamics
1. Shandong Province Market Prices:
- On June 16, 2026, the market price of domestically produced, GB-standard (99.9% purity) methacrylic acid in Jinan City, Shandong Province, ranged from RMB 12,500.00 to 15,200.00 per metric ton.
- In Zibo City, Shandong Province, the market price for premium-grade methacrylic acid stood at RMB 11,900.00 per metric ton.
- Overall, the price range across Shandong Province was RMB 9,400.00–14,960.00 per metric ton, with variations attributable to brand differences and delivery locations.

2. Prices in Other Regions and Related Products:
- Methacrylic acid stearyl ester prices remained stable at RMB 27,000.00 per metric ton; the ex-factory price for domestically produced methacrylic acid stearyl ester (99.8% purity) in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, was RMB 28,800.00 per metric ton.
- Methacrylic acid hydroxyethyl ester prices ranged between RMB 15,500–16,000 per metric ton, with the market remaining stable for now.

II. Supply and Demand Dynamics
1. Supply Situation:
- Domestic methacrylic acid production capacity continues to expand, yet utilization rates vary regionally; overall national capacity utilization remains at approximately 80%.
- The East China region is the primary production base for methacrylic acid; Shandong-sourced supply is mainly distributed to East China and Northeast China.
- A structural imbalance persists: while general-grade products face overcapacity, high-end grades—such as electronic-grade methacrylic acid—suffer from insufficient supply.

2. Demand Situation:
- Demand growth for methacrylic acid is primarily driven by downstream high-value-added applications, including coatings, superabsorbent polymers (SAP), adhesives, and pharmaceutical intermediates.
- Coatings account for ~38% of total demand; SAP accounts for 25%; adhesives and pharmaceutical intermediates jointly represent nearly 20%.
- Emerging sectors—including new energy and bio-based materials—are imposing novel performance requirements on methacrylic acid, thereby accelerating R&D efforts toward high-value-added products.

III. Raw Material Influences
1. Upstream Raw Material Prices:
- Key upstream raw materials for methacrylic acid—such as acetone and hydrogen cyanide—are subject to volatility stemming from crude oil price fluctuations and environmental regulation-driven production curtailments, posing challenges to supply stability.
- Price volatility in raw materials for specialty esters (e.g., methacrylic acid stearyl ester)—including methacrylic acid itself and stearyl alcohol—directly impacts their production costs.

2. Cost Pass-through:
- Fluctuations in upstream raw material prices are transmitted to the methacrylic acid and its derivative markets via cost-plus pricing mechanisms, consequently influencing end-product pricing.

IV. Policy and Environmental Factors
1. Policy Drivers:
- Increasing national policy support for strategic emerging industries—including new energy and advanced materials—presents significant growth opportunities for the methacrylic acid sector.
- Stricter environmental regulations are steering the industry toward greener, more sustainable development pathways, constraining traditional high-energy-consumption, high-emission production models.

2. Environmental Regulatory Impacts:
- Tighter emission standards—including lowered limits for non-methane total hydrocarbons—have phased out smaller producers lacking effective end-of-pipe pollution control capabilities.
- The dual pressure exerted by carbon tariffs and China’s domestic carbon trading market is fundamentally reshaping the methacrylic acid industry’s cost structure, spurring enterprises to invest in low-carbon technological upgrades.

V. Analysis and Outlook
1. Price Trend Forecast:
- In the short term, methacrylic acid market prices are expected to remain broadly stable; however, volatility may arise due to fluctuations in raw material costs, supply-demand dynamics, and regulatory adjustments.
- Prices for high-end products—particularly electronic-grade methacrylic acid—are likely to remain elevated owing to persistent supply shortages.

2. Supply-Demand Outlook:
- While continued domestic capacity expansion will further enhance overall supply capability, structural supply-demand imbalances persist—especially concerning high-end products.
- Downstream demand growth remains steady but may moderate depending on macroeconomic conditions and the pace of development in emerging application sectors.

3. Industry Trends:
- The methacrylic acid industry is transitioning toward high-quality, green, and sustainable development. Enterprises must strengthen innovation, increase environmental investment, and enhance product value-added and market competitiveness.
- Emerging fields—including new energy and bio-based materials—are poised to become pivotal growth engines, driving industrial upgrading and structural transformation.