Last week, PET prices fell. According to the price data from SunSirs, as of May 23rd, the average selling price of PET (polyester bottle flakes) was 6,055 RMB/ton.
On the cost side, international crude oil prices have fallen, and polyester dual raw materials have both declined during the day. International oil prices were affected by OPEC+production expectations and the US Iran nuclear negotiations, with Brent crude oil falling below $70 per barrel, dragging down PTA and ethylene glycol prices. PTA spot prices fell to 4,890 RMB/ton, ethylene glycol spot prices fell to 4,500 RMB/ton, polymerization costs increased by 509 RMB/ton, and industry profit losses expanded to -317 RMB/ton. The cost support of PET is weak.
On the supply side, the pressure continues to increase, with the industry operating rate maintained at 87.93% and a weekly output of 365,000 tons. Coupled with the addition of 2.15 million tons of new production capacity in 2025, concerns about oversupply have intensified. The current inventory days are about 16-18 days, which is at a high level during the same period. Spot circulation is tight in some areas such as Tianjin and Zhangjiagang, but the overall pattern of loose supply has not changed.
On the demand side, the operating rate of the soft drink industry has recovered to 80% -90%, but the inventory of end products is high, and replenishment is mainly based on small orders for essential needs. The export volume in February increased by 27.3% year-on-year to 487,600 tons, but the global economic growth slowed down and overseas anti-dumping investigations restricted the increase in exports.
Overall, the weak support on the cost side, coupled with insufficient downstream demand follow-up, is the main reason for the decline in PET market prices. In the short term, the price of polyester bottle chips may continue to fluctuate at a low level. The actual trend still needs to pay attention to changes in external news, device changes, and demand recovery in the future.
If you have any enquiries or purchasing needs, please feel free to contact SunSirs with support@sunsirs.com.
