SunSirs: Plastics and Rubber Industries Bulk Commodity Intelligence (May 26, 2026)

Macroeconomics

1. [Power] National Energy Administration: As of the end of April, the nation's cumulative installed power generation capacity stood at approximately 3.99 billion kilowatts, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.2%. Of this total, installed solar power capacity reached 1.25 billion kilowatts—up 26.2% year-on-year—while installed wind power capacity reached 660 million kilowatts—up 22.0% year-on-year.

2. [US-Iran Negotiations] The United States and Iran have reached an agreement in principle regarding a potential deal that could bring an end to the conflict in the Middle East. Once signed, the agreement would lead to the full resumption of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days. President Trump stated that negotiations with Iran are progressing smoothly. Trump also called upon nations in the Middle East to immediately sign the "Abraham Accords," thereby advancing the normalization of relations with Israel. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei noted that while Iran and the U.S. have reached a consensus on most issues, "this does not imply that an agreement is imminent." Nuclear-related issues are not currently being discussed at this stage.

Plastics and Rubber

1. [PP] Daqing Petrochemical’s PP facility, with an annual production capacity of 100,000 tons, is currently operating at normal load. The ex-factory reference price for the T30S wire-drawing grade has been raised; on May 25, it increased by 100 RMB to 9,810 RMB per ton. Spot market prices among traders are tracking market trends, and trading activity remains fair.

2. [Nitrile Rubber] As of May 25, the listed price for Nitrile Rubber from Lanzhou Petrochemical is as follows: in the Northwest, North China, and East China regions, the price for the LanHua N41E grade is quoted at 18,100 RMB per ton—a decrease of 1,200 RMB per ton compared to the previous period.

3. [Natural Rubber] According to the latest data, during the first four months of 2026, Thailand's total exports of natural rubber (excluding compound rubber) amounted to 861,000 tons, representing a year-on-year decline of 15%. Specifically, exports of Standard Rubber totaled 461,000 tons (down 21% year-on-year); exports of Smoked Sheet Rubber totaled 142,000 tons (down 1% year-on-year); and exports of Latex totaled 251,000 tons (down 11% year-on-year).

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