Price Trend

Recently, the acrylic acid market has experienced a trajectory characterized by an initial gradual decline followed by an accelerated breakdown. At the beginning of last week, the market underwent sideways consolidation—during which bearish forces gathered momentum—before shifting into a mode of persistent, sluggish decline. It successively breached the 9,000 RMB/ton threshold, marking a concentrated release of bearish momentum. Although there was a brief period of sideways stalemate midway through the week, trading volume remained consistently sluggish, and prices dipped lower once again toward the close of the session. Throughout the week, prices remained under significant pressure, lacking any effective rebound or buying support, thereby exhibiting a textbook example of a one-sided bearish trend.

Core Data

According to data from SunSirs, the quoted price stood at 9,316.67 RMB/ton as of May 12, before falling to 8,716.67 RMB/ton on May 18; over the entire week, the price declined by 600 RMB/ton, marking a weekly decrease of 6.44%.

Fundamental Analysis: A Three-Dimensional Breakdown — Demand Reigns Supreme

1. Demand Side: End-market orders across downstream sectors—including acrylates, SAP, and water-reducing agents—remain insufficient. Operating rates are holding at low levels, and purchasing activity for acrylic acid is limited to sporadic, "on-demand" procurement; there is absolutely no sign of centralized inventory replenishment or proactive stockpiling.

2. Cost Side: The price of propylene—the core raw material—experienced only a narrow, slightly downward fluctuation this week; notably, its decline was far less pronounced than that of acrylic acid. From a cost-structure perspective, propylene prices did not undergo a catastrophic collapse but rather held firm at a price floor. This resilience ensured that acrylic acid prices this week experienced only a "gradual, creeping decline," rather than a "catastrophic plunge." As of May 19, the benchmark price for propylene (according to SunSirs) stood at 9,214.33 RMB/ton—a decrease of 2.95% compared to the beginning of the month (9,494.33 RMB/ton).

3. Supply Side: Recently, operating rates at domestic acrylic acid plants have remained stable, and spot market supplies are ample. Manufacturers have not seen any significant reduction in inventory; consequently, their sales strategies lean toward "following market trends and offering price concessions to boost volume." To facilitate inventory reduction, producers have proactively lowered their quoted prices, thereby further amplifying downward pressure on the market.

Market outlook

In the short term, the acrylic acid market is more likely to decline than to rise.

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