According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of the Business Society, from July 21st to August 9th, the average market price of cyclohexanone in China increased from 8564 yuan/ton to 9685 yuan/ton, with a period increase of 13.09% and a year-on-year decrease of 2.75%. The raw material of pure benzene has been repeatedly raised to 7750 yuan/ton, with good cost support. Downstream chemical fibers and solvents just need to follow up, and the supply of cyclohexanone products is average. Driven by costs, the market price has decreased, and the transaction focus continues to rise.

On the cost side, the raw material pure benzene and the domestic market price of pure benzene continue to rise. Since the end of June, driven by the positive factors of international crude oil fluctuations, the price of pure benzene has been steadily rising. As of August 9th, the benchmark price of pure benzene for Business Society was 7772.17 yuan/ton, an increase of 6.66% compared to the beginning of this month (7287.17 yuan/ton). In the cost composition of the traditional cyclohexanone process route, pure benzene accounts for 53%. The market trend of pure benzene directly affects the price of cyclohexanone, and the short-term cost of cyclohexanone is influenced by positive factors.

On the supply side, according to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Business Society, the domestic production capacity of cyclohexanone is about 6.55 million tons, and the current operating load is around 60%, which is at a relatively low level. The main production enterprises have limited product supply. The short-term supply of cyclohexanone is influenced by positive factors.

On the demand side, cyclohexanone units are mainly equipped with downstream caprolactam production, and caprolactam is one of the main downstream sources of cyclohexanone. The price of raw material pure benzene continues to rise, and cost support is strengthened. Under cost pressure, the spot price of caprolactam continues to rise with the trend of raw material prices. Partial equipment maintenance of caprolactam has resulted in a decrease in market availability, and downstream follow-up is required. As of August 9th, the benchmark price of caprolactam for Business Society was 12987.50 yuan/ton, an increase of 3.08% compared to the beginning of this month (12600.00 yuan/ton). The demand side of cyclohexanone has a positive impact.

According to future forecasts, with the high rise in cyclohexanone prices, downstream chemical fiber and solvent prices will follow suit and slow down, leaving the market in a weak equilibrium state. In the future, it is necessary to observe the impact of the price of raw material pure benzene on cyclohexanone. Business Society cyclohexanone analysts predict that the domestic cyclohexanone market will continue to operate at a high level in the short term.

According to monitoring data from Business Society, as of August 8, 2023, the market price of domestically produced industrial grade propylene glycol was referenced at 7866 yuan/ton. Compared with August 2 (reference price of propylene glycol 7700), the price increased by 166 yuan/ton, an increase of 2.16%.

From the data monitoring chart of Business Society, it can be seen that the domestic propylene glycol market has shown an overall upward trend in the recent period (8.2-8.8). At the beginning of the month, the overall supply of propylene glycol in China was tight, with tight spot circulation on the market. With no pressure on supply, some propylene glycol factories and suppliers raised the price of propylene glycol by around 200-300 yuan/ton, and the overall market situation saw an upward trend. As of August 8th, the domestic propylene glycol market price was referenced around 7800-8100 yuan/ton.

Analysis of Future Market Trends

At present, the trading atmosphere in the propylene glycol market is mild. It is expected that in the short term, the overall stability of the domestic propylene glycol market is mainly strong, and the specific trend still needs to pay more attention to changes in supply and demand news.

Product name: Sulfur

Latest price: On August 7th, the average sulfur price in East China was 933.33 yuan/ton, an increase of 5.26% compared to the previous working day price of 886.67 yuan/ton.

Analysis: The domestic sulfur market has shown a strong upward trend, with prices rising significantly. The on-site refinery equipment is operating normally, the supply of goods is stable, and manufacturers are actively shipping. Downstream demand for phosphate fertilizer is increasing, and prices are rising. The sulfur market has a positive attitude, and manufacturers have increased their willingness to rise. Downstream purchases are active, and the company’s shipments are smooth over the weekend. The refinery’s sulfur quotation continues to rise, and as of Monday, the sulfur market price has increased by a total of 50-70 yuan/ton.

Future forecast: Sulfur prices have significantly increased in the short term, and the future market needs to wait and see how the downstream accepts high priced sources. It is expected that the short-term sulfur market will consolidate and operate, and specific attention will be paid to the downstream follow-up situation.

Price trend

This week, the domestic EVA market remained stable, with spot prices hovering at high levels. According to data monitoring from Business Society, as of August 4th, the average ex factory price of EVA in China was 13633.33 yuan/ton, an increase of 0% compared to the beginning of the month.

Cause analysis

The domestic EVA market has remained stable and strong this week. On the supply side, the EVA industry maintains a high start-up rate, with an overall load position of around 85%. The market supply has relatively decreased, and there is currently no pressure on factory inventory. The profitability of EVA polymerization plants fluctuates broadly within a narrow range, with firm factory prices rising. The social inventory pressure is average, and the confidence of traders is supported by aggregation factories, which is relatively strong. On the demand side, the current demand side maintains strong support for the EVA price market. The demand for photovoltaic materials continues to be high, and terminal enterprises continue to stock up, providing significant support for the market. The follow-up of foam materials towards terminal enterprises lags behind, resulting in low actual prices and consumption maintaining at off-season levels, dragging down the overall demand side of EVA. The overall stock preparation operation on the site is clearly differentiated, and it will take time for enterprises to accept high priced goods this week, with prices mainly operating horizontally.

Overall, the supply of EVA in the market remained stable this week, with downstream demand still being driven by the main force of photovoltaic technology. Overall, companies dominate pricing and businesses follow the market. The demand for foaming continues to be poor. It is expected that the bullish confidence in the domestic EVA market will remain strong in the short term and may continue to rise.

1、 Price trend

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of the Business Society, the average market price of ammonium sulfate in China was 1050 yuan/ton on July 28th, and 1107 yuan/ton on August 3rd. This week, the market price of ammonium sulfate increased by 5.48%.

2、 Market analysis

This week, the domestic ammonium sulfate market price continued the previous week’s trend and continued to rise slightly, but the upward trend slowed down compared to last week. This week, urea prices have been operating at a high level, with positive factors still present. The international market for ammonium sulfate is performing well, with strong support for export orders. Downstream and distributors are actively restocking. This week, the bidding price for coking grade ammonium sulfate continued to rise, while domestic grade ammonium sulfate followed suit. As of August 3rd, the mainstream market quotation for coking grade ammonium sulfate in Hebei Province is around 1150 yuan/ton. The mainstream factory quotation for domestic ammonium sulfate in Shandong is around 1170-1200 yuan/ton.

3、 Future Market Forecast

Analysts from the Business Society believe that the ammonium sulfate market has continued to rise in recent days, making it difficult to find low prices on the market. But after continuous price increases, it remains at a high level, and downstream procurement is more cautious. Under current demand support, it is expected that the short-term trend of ammonium sulfate prices will continue to be the main trend.