Price trend

According to the commodity market analysis system of SunSirs, the aniline market continued its upward trend last week; the market price stood at 11,525 RMB/ton on August 10 and rose to 11,925 RMB/ton on August 14, marking a weekly increase of 3.47% and a year-on-year rise of 57.96%.

Analysis and Commentary

Last week, fluctuations in maintenance schedules and operating rates across several aniline plants led to a continued tightening of supply. Manufacturers raised their quotes twice; amidst the supply crunch and low inventory levels, traders sold at higher prices. As of last Friday, mainstream domestic aniline quotes stood at 11,900-12,000 RMB/ton.

Cost side: The benzene market has shown a trend of fluctuating upward. Prices rose due to factors such as typhoon-related delays in cargo unloading, a continued decline in inventories at major Jiangsu ports, the postponement of restarts for certain production units, and a slower-than-expected recovery in output. Meanwhile, demand from some downstream sectors remains sluggish, and overall downstream operating rates are low. Overall, although the increase in supply has fallen slightly short of expectations, demand remains weak, limiting the scope for a rebound in benzene prices.

Market Outlook

Aniline prices have currently risen to high levels, and the market is absorbing these increases; faced with high costs, downstream buyers are showing less enthusiasm for entering the market, with purchasing driven primarily by immediate needs. It is anticipated that there will be significant resistance to further price hikes in the short term, so close attention should be paid to developments regarding costs and demand.

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