Price trend

In January, the domestic bisphenol A market shook off the weakness of the year-end and experienced a recovery trend of "initial stability followed by strength." At the beginning of the month, the market was mainly stable with price fluctuations within a range; however, from the middle to the end of the month, multiple positive factors from cost, supply, and demand converged, directly driving a rapid market rebound and a steady increase in prices. By the end of the month, mainstream quotations had risen to nearly 8,000 RMB/ton.

Market analysis

In early January, the domestic bisphenol A (BPA) market did not show a clear one-sided trend, with bullish and bearish factors balancing each other out, resulting in overall stable fluctuations. On the supply side, although some companies' facilities entered maintenance periods, leading to a slight short-term reduction in supply, the market had strong expectations for new BPA production capacity in 2026. Industry players were cautious about shipments and not strongly inclined to offer discounts, supporting market stability. On the cost side, international oil prices did not show a sustained upward trend, and the prices of upstream benzene and phenol/acetone remained stable, providing limited cost support for BPA. On the demand side, downstream industries were still at the end of their off-season, with insufficient demand for epoxy resins and no large-scale procurement from the PC industry. Market transactions were sluggish, with the price of premium BPA in East China close to 7,500 RMB/ton. Amidst the interplay of bullish and bearish forces, the market maintained a stable trend.

After mid-month, the negative factors that had previously weighed on the market gradually subsided.  Positive factors in costs, supply, and demand continued to gain momentum and reinforce each other, completely reversing the volatile trend in the domestic bisphenol A market and initiating a rapid rebound. Cost factors became the core driving force; the escalating US-Iran tensions pushed international oil prices steadily upward, with WTI and Brent crude oil prices breaking through $60 and $65 per barrel respectively, directly driving significant price increases in upstream benzene and phenol/acetone. Phenol and acetone, as core raw materials for bisphenol A, account for more to than 70% of production costs. The rigid increase in raw material prices pushed up the theoretical cost of bisphenol A, forcing holders to firmly maintain their prices. Positive factors in supply also emerged simultaneously. While previously idled plants gradually resumed operation, some companies were affected by tight raw material supply, resulting in lower-than-expected operating rates. Market supply did not increase significantly, and the supply-demand balance continued to improve. Demand gradually recovered, with downstream PC and epoxy resin industries steadily increasing their operating rates and continuously releasing purchasing demand. Market transaction activity significantly increased, further driving prices upward.

Market outlook

According to SunSirs, the bisphenol A market in January showed a clear "stable first, then stroner" trend. The core driving force came from the synergistic effects of multiple positive factors: cost support, tightening supply, and recovering demand. This combination helped the market overcome the weakness at the end of the year and achieve a steady rebound. In the short term, the bisphenol A market is likely to maintain a strong trend. If oil prices remain high, they will continue to provide support to the market; on the demand side, as the operating rate of downstream industries further increases, procurement demand is expected to continue to be released. However, attention should be paid to the progress of new capacity coming online and the risk of raw material price fluctuations. The subsequent market trend still needs to be closely monitored based on changes in the fundamentals of upstream and downstream industries.

If you have any inquiries or purchasing needs, please feel free to contact SunSirs with support@sunsirs.com.