According to the commodity market analysis system of Shengyishe, the price of acetic acid rose first and then fell in April. As of April 30th, the price was 3250 yuan/ton, which was an increase of 150 yuan/ton compared to the beginning of the month’s acetic acid price of 3100 yuan/ton, with an overall increase of 4.84%.

As of the end of the month, the price details of acetic acid market in various regions of China in April are as follows:

Region/ April 1st/ April 15th/ April 30th

South China region/ 3000 yuan/ton/ 3125 yuan/ton/ 3125 yuan/ton

North China region/ 3050 yuan/ton/ 3200 yuan/ton/ 3100 yuan/ton

Shandong region/ 3100 yuan/ton/ 3325 yuan/ton/ 3200 yuan/ton

Jiangsu region/ 3025 yuan/ton/ 3150 yuan/ton/ 3050 yuan/ton

Zhejiang region/ 3125 yuan/ton/ 3250 yuan/ton/ 3150 yuan/ton

The acetic acid market rose first and then fell in April. In the first half of the year, the price of acetic acid rose strongly, mainly due to the shutdown and concentrated load reduction of some domestic acetic acid plants, resulting in a significant decrease in the utilization rate of on-site production capacity. Acetic acid manufacturers had a strong intention to increase prices, while downstream restocking was active, and the market trading atmosphere was good. Under the situation of supply shortage, the price of acetic acid continued to rise; In late April, the price of acetic acid weakened and declined. With the recovery of on-site maintenance equipment, the utilization rate of acetic acid production capacity increased, the market supply increased, and the positive effects on suppliers disappeared. The downstream pre holiday stocking sentiment was weak, and considering the holiday high-speed restrictions or the impact on shipping progress, the manufacturer’s quotation was lowered. However, the actual trading atmosphere was light, and the price of acetic acid continued to decline.

The methanol market for raw materials fluctuates in a range. As of April 30th, the average price in the domestic market was 2651.67 yuan/ton, an overall increase of 1.08% compared to the price of 2623.33 yuan/ton on April 1st. In the first ten days, the concentrated spring inspection of methanol plants was average, with the main focus on maintaining high operating levels and weak market prices; In the middle of the month, there was not much contradiction in the fundamentals of methanol, and the production of domestic methanol plants remained at a high level. However, the inventory of sample enterprises in mainland China was relatively low, resulting in a slight increase in methanol prices; In the latter half of the month, the main downstream factories shut down due to insufficient demand support, resulting in poor enterprise shipments and a decrease in methanol prices. At the end of the month, downstream companies began stocking up before holidays, and production companies continued to destock. The domestic methanol market continued to rise and operate.

The downstream acetic anhydride market rose first and then fell in April. On April 30th, the quotation was 5625.00 yuan/ton, an increase of 2.51% from the beginning of the month’s price of 5487.50 yuan/ton. In mid to early April, the demand for acetic anhydride remained stable, with upstream acetic acid prices rising. The cost support for acetic anhydride was strong, and the price of acetic anhydride rose accordingly; In the latter half of the year, the price of acetic anhydride was adjusted downwards. Under the influence of the decline in upstream acetic acid, the acetic anhydride market was bearish and the price trend declined.

Analysts from Business Society believe that the current operating rate of acetic acid enterprises has returned to a relatively high level, with sufficient supply of goods from suppliers. Enterprises are actively stocking up before the holiday, and downstream stocking sentiment is average. Follow up on market entry is limited, and the market trading atmosphere is weak. Considering the impact of high-speed speed restrictions during the May Day holiday on enterprise shipments, it is expected that the price of acetic acid will be weak and fluctuate narrowly after the holiday. In the future, specific attention will be paid to downstream replenishment situation.