Price trends

According to the commodity market analysis system of SunSirs, the aniline market saw a stepped rise in August. The market price stood at 11,525 RMB/ton on August 1 and rose to 13,425 RMB/ton by August 31, marking an increase of 16.19% over the period and a 77.81% rise compared to the same period last year.

Analysis and Commentary

At the beginning of the month, the aniline market saw balanced supply and demand; with downstream buyers entering the market to meet essential needs and inventory pressure remaining low, prices edged up from their monthly lows. By mid-month, maintenance shutdowns at several facilities and fluctuations in operating rates caused a continued tightening of supply. Manufacturers raised their quotes twice; as supplies grew scarce and inventories dropped to low levels, traders sold at higher prices. Coupled with rising demand in the export market, the supply crunch intensified, driving steeper price hikes—with increases of 800 RMB/ton and 500 RMB/ton respectively—bringing mainstream prices to 13,400-13,500 RMB/ton by month's end.

Benzene: The benzene market saw an initial decline followed by a rise in August; prices deviated from fundamentals due to geopolitical tensions, which heavily influenced market sentiment. Looking ahead, the market maintains a pattern of "strong near-term, weak long-term" fundamentals; however, prices remain firm in the short term due to low inventory levels and geopolitical support. Upside potential is limited by expectations of recovering supply, so future attention should focus on downstream acceptance of high prices and geopolitical developments.

Market outlook

Aniline production units currently undergoing maintenance have not yet resumed operations, and supply remains tight; supported by demand, the aniline market is expected to trend upward at high levels in the near term.

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