Price trend:

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Business Society, on March 1st, the domestic price of chloroacetic acid was 3175 yuan/ton. As of March 26th, the price of chloroacetic acid was 3100 yuan/ton, a decrease of 2.36% from the beginning of the month. The market is showing a fluctuating downward trend.

Cost side situation:

The recent decline in the chloroacetic acid market has been affected by the decline in raw material prices, leading to weakened cost support from manufacturers and an increase in low-priced offers.

Regarding acetic acid:

On March 1st, the domestic price of acetic acid was 3100 yuan/ton. As of March 26th, the price of acetic acid was 3002 yuan/ton, a decrease of 3.16% from the beginning of the month. The market is showing a consolidation and downward trend.

The consumption of acetic acid in the terminal market is average, and downstream purchasing enthusiasm is weak. Enterprise shipments are limited, and inventory has increased. In order to stimulate downstream entry into the market, factory quotations have been continuously lowered. However, downstream consumption is slow, and demand support is insufficient, resulting in weak acetic acid prices.

Regarding sulfur:

On March 1st, the domestic sulfur price was 1026 yuan/ton. As of March 26th, the price of acetic acid was 1046 yuan/ton, an increase of 1.9% from the beginning of the month. The market is showing a consolidation and upward trend.

The operation of sulfur refining plants in Shandong region is relatively weak, with manufacturer inventory mainly maintaining at a medium to low level. The market supply of goods has decreased, and downstream procurement follows up on demand. The on-site trading atmosphere is good, and enterprise shipments are smooth. Prices are adjusted upwards due to excessive consolidation.

Demand side situation:

In March, the demand for pesticides was relatively strong, with an overall increase in market inquiries and active market trading. Most product prices and inventory are at historically low levels.

Future Market Forecast:

Business Society Chloroacetic Acid Data Analyst believes that the cost support of chloroacetic acid is supported by both negative and positive factors. In addition, with the increase in downstream demand, the chloroacetic acid market is expected to rebound in the current situation, and specific attention needs to be paid to the actual supply and demand situation.

1、 Price trend

Taking the sulfuric acid method rutile type titanium dioxide with a large volume of goods in the domestic market as an example, according to data monitoring by Business Society, the domestic titanium dioxide market price has increased this week. The average price of titanium dioxide last Friday was 16966.67 yuan/ton, and this Friday it was 17083.33 yuan/ton, with a price increase of 0.69%.

2、 Market analysis

This week, the domestic titanium dioxide market prices have increased. After a rise in February, there was new news about titanium dioxide this week, and multiple companies have once again sent letters raising the price of titanium dioxide. The domestic market price has increased by 500 yuan/ton, while the international market price has increased by 80-125 US dollars/ton. The overall confidence in the on-site market is good, with manufacturers having tight inventory and high market prices. As of now, domestic prices for rutile type titanium dioxide are mostly between 16500 and 18300 yuan/ton; The quotation for rutile titanium dioxide is around 15000 yuan/ton. The actual transaction price is negotiable.

In terms of titanium concentrate, the market price of titanium concentrate in the Panxi region has been at a high level this week. At present, titanium ore spot prices are tight, and there is no pressure on enterprise inventory. The downstream procurement situation is still acceptable. As of now, the tax-free quotation for grade 38-42 titanium ore is around 1580-1620 yuan/ton, the tax-free quotation for grade 46 10 titanium concentrate is around 2300 yuan/ton, and the tax-free quotation for grade 47 20 titanium concentrate is around 2350-2480 yuan/ton. In the short term, the market price of titanium concentrate is mainly strong, and the actual transaction price is negotiable. It is reported that the price of titanium ore in Panxi Dachang may increase by 150 yuan/ton in the second quarter. The specific implementation situation still needs to pay attention to changes in the message surface.

In terms of sulfuric acid, the domestic sulfuric acid market price continues to rise. According to data monitoring from Business Society, the average price of sulfuric acid was 261.25 yuan/ton last Friday, and 291.25 yuan/ton this Friday, with a price increase of 11.84%. The upstream sulfur market has recently seen a slight increase, with good cost support. The downstream titanium dioxide market is relatively strong, and downstream customers have a good enthusiasm for purchasing sulfuric acid.

3、 Future Market Forecast

Business Society Titanium Dioxide Analyst believes that currently, the price of titanium concentrate in the Panxi region is running at a high level, with an increase in sulfuric acid prices and significant cost pressure on titanium dioxide. The new order quotation is firm and upward. It is expected that the titanium dioxide market will be relatively strong in the short term, and the actual transaction price will remain unchanged.

According to the monitoring of the commodity market analysis system of Business Society, industrial grade lithium carbonate and battery grade lithium carbonate remained stable and upward this week. On March 21, 2024, the average domestic mixed price of industrial grade lithium carbonate was 108800 yuan/ton, an increase of 1.3% compared to the average price of 107400 yuan/ton on March 17. On March 21st, the average domestic mixed price of battery grade lithium carbonate was 118000 yuan/ton, an increase of 1.2% compared to the average price of 116600 yuan/ton on March 17th.

By observing market changes, it can be seen that the price increase of lithium carbonate has slowed down and slightly increased this week. In terms of supply, social inventory has slightly increased compared to the previous month, and smelter inventory still accounts for more than half of the total, which puts significant pressure on market supply. The imported lithium carbonate is expected to arrive at the port by the end of March, and there is an expectation of sufficient spot supply, which may have some price suppression. At present, lithium salt enterprises mainly sell long-term orders, and some lithium salt enterprises have increased their wait-and-see sentiment, so the upward trend of lithium carbonate prices has slightly slowed down.

In terms of demand, downstream positive electrode enterprises such as Changxie and Customer Supply are still their main procurement channels, and some inventory has already been purchased in the early stage, which can basically meet the short-term production and usage level in the future. There is generally feedback that the acquisition and transaction of high priced individual orders are relatively weak, and the overall continuation of the rigid demand procurement strategy.

The lithium hydroxide market is on the rise, driven by the upward trend in upstream spodumene concentrate prices and the stronger trend in lithium carbonate prices. The cost support is obvious, and some enterprises on the supply side have relatively low inventory. The downstream demand for high nickel ternary is still acceptable, and the 3C digital market is mainly following steadily. The downstream inquiry atmosphere has increased, but the purchasing mentality is still cautious, and transactions are still mainly long-term contract orders. The focus of market negotiations is strong.

The downstream price of lithium iron phosphate has maintained a stable, medium to strong trend, with strong support from the upstream cost side and increased downstream demand. Lithium iron phosphate is expected to improve in the short term. Currently, the price of mica remains stable, and enterprises have a strong willingness to raise prices. The price of raw material lithium carbonate has been mainly increased, and downstream procurement willingness is relatively strong. Currently, the demand for energy storage lithium iron phosphate batteries is not decreasing, and with the promotion of policies, the overall market transaction focus has shifted upwards.

In terms of futures, on March 21, 2024, the opening price of the LC2407 main contract was 118000 yuan/ton, the closing price was 117350 yuan/ton, and the highest price was 118850 yuan/ton, with a daily increase of 1.34%. There were 223000 transactions and 208023 positions held.

According to analysts from Shengyishe Lithium Carbonate, the current pressure on the supply side of lithium carbonate is gradually becoming apparent. Although the end market has particularly high expectations for downstream consumption of lithium carbonate, the production of positive electrode factories is high, and the high inventory accumulated in the early stage has not yet been digested. Therefore, the market is gradually shifting towards a direction of strong supply and weak demand. It is expected that the short-term spot price of lithium carbonate will remain stable and wait-and-see.

Price trend chart of trichloroethylene

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Business Society, the market for trichloroethylene in barrels remained stable this week (3.11-3.15), with an average price of 6560 yuan/ton.

Analysis and Review

The price of trichloroethylene continues to be weak, and the trading atmosphere on the market is light. From the perspective of demand, since the issuance of HFCs refrigerant quotas, the operating rate of the refrigerant industry has been relatively low, and production is mainly scheduled in an orderly manner based on the quotas within the year. R134a just needs follow-up, but the market procurement is relatively passive.

Future Market Forecast

Business Society’s trichloroethylene analyst believes that, combined with the market atmosphere, it is expected that trichloroethylene will continue to be stable in the future.

According to the commodity market analysis system of Shengyishe, the consolidation of the polyaluminum chloride market this week is the main focus. The solid (industrial grade, content ≥ 28%) polyaluminum chloride market in China reported around 1815 yuan/ton on the 18th, which is stable compared to the 11th quotation. The production of water treatment enterprises in China’s main production areas has basically returned to normal, with sufficient market inventory. Downstream procurement is based on demand, and the price of raw material hydrochloric acid has significantly decreased. The market for polyaluminum chloride has also stabilized.

Raw material hydrochloric acid: According to the commodity market analysis system of Business Society, the domestic hydrochloric acid market price has dropped significantly this week, and as of March 18th, the domestic hydrochloric acid market price is 92.50 yuan/ton. The upstream liquid chlorine market is consolidating at a high level, with average cost support. The downstream polyaluminum chloride market is consolidating, and downstream purchasing willingness is weakening.

Liquefied natural gas for production. According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Business Society, the domestic liquefied natural gas market has declined this week, while the domestic temperature has rebounded. The market demand is limited, and the main focus is on oversupply. Liquid prices have continued to decline from Monday to Thursday, and the market is cautious and wait-and-see. The price increase of imported gas is favorable for the domestic gas market, and the liquid price has stopped falling and risen.

Market forecast: In the near future, raw material prices will fall, fuel liquefied natural gas prices will decline, and the cost of polyaluminum chloride will decline. On the supply side, China’s polyaluminum chloride manufacturers have basically resumed normal production; On the demand side, there has been no significant improvement in purchasing willingness, and stability is the main focus. Analysis suggests that the recent market for polyaluminum chloride may be dominated by consolidation.

1、 Price trend

According to the commodity market analysis system of Business Society, the NMP market has been operating weakly this week. On March 11th, the average price of NMP was 12233 yuan/ton, and on March 15th, the average price of NMP was 12166 yuan/ton, a decrease of 0.54% during the cycle.

2、 Analysis and Review

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Business Society, the NMP market did not show significant improvement this week and maintained a stalemate and consolidation operation. As of Friday, the mainstream retail price in the domestic electronic grade NMP market was 11800-12200 yuan/ton. The raw material end BDO market is operating steadily at a low level, and downstream demand is not following up enough, resulting in a market stalemate and consolidation. The demand for NMP in the market is mainly for basic needs, and there is a lack of price support mentality. Some factories have slightly lowered their quotations. Downstream cautious entry into the market, with a strong wait-and-see atmosphere.

As of March 15th, the mainstream prices of NMP bulk water in different regions of China are as follows:

Region/ March 15th

East China region/ 12000-12200 yuan/ton

Central China region/ 11800-12000 yuan/ton

Southwest region/ 11800-12200 yuan/ton

Raw materials: The BDO market fluctuated narrowly. From March 11th to 15th, the average domestic BDO price dropped from 9428 yuan/ton to 9400 yuan/ton, with a 0.30% drop in price during the cycle.

3、 Future Market Forecast

Business Society NMP analysts believe that the current performance of the NMP market is weak, and the market lacks positive signal guidance. It is expected that the market will remain weak in the short term.

According to price monitoring data from Business Society, as of March 14, 2024, the reference price for domestic n-propanol market was 7916 yuan/ton. Compared with March 10, the price remained basically unchanged. Compared with February 1 (reference price for n-propanol is 7950 yuan/ton), the price increased by 34 yuan/ton, an increase of 0.42%.

This week, the domestic propylene glycol market continued to operate steadily and steadily. The overall news of the n-propanol market is relatively calm, with normal transmission of supply and demand on the market. The overall operating rate of n-propanol has not adjusted much, and the stable quotation of n-propanol from Shandong large factories gives market confidence. n-propanol operators and distributors have also remained stable, with downstream purchases of n-propanol continuing to be in demand. As of March 14th, the domestic market price of n-propanol in Shandong region is around 7150-7600 yuan/ton. The market price of n-propanol in the Nanjing area is around 8500-9000 yuan/ton. Dealers in different regions still have reservations about prices, and the difficulty in monitoring prices may lead to differences in specific negotiation situations. Each region also has differences, and actual negotiations are the main focus.

Prediction of future market trends of n-propanol

At present, the trading atmosphere of n-propanol on the market is quiet and mild, and most new orders on the market are newly purchased orders. Business Society’s n-propanol data analyst believes that in the short term, the domestic n-propanol market will mainly operate with large stability and small fluctuations, and the specific trend still needs to pay more attention to changes in supply and demand news.

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Business Society, as of March 11th, the average price of epoxy propane for enterprises was 9150.00 yuan/ton, which is unchanged from last Wednesday (March 6th).

The recent market situation of epoxy propane has been stagnant, and the market atmosphere is weak. Recently, the price of raw material propylene has risen first and then fallen, while the price of raw material liquid chlorine has declined, and the cost has weakened in the face of support from the epoxy propane market. On the supply side, there were fluctuations in some devices, and factory shipments were average. Downstream buyers were not very enthusiastic, and they were mainly cautious and cautious in following up on volume reduction. The market atmosphere was flat, and on March 11th, the mainstream quotation in the Shandong epoxy propane market was around 8950-9000 yuan.

Upstream propylene: According to the commodity market analysis system of Business Society, the reference price of propylene on March 11th was 6992.60, an increase of 1.77% compared to March 1st (6870.75), providing moderate support for the epoxy propane market.

The epoxy propane analyst from Business Society believes that the current cost support is limited, and the downstream market is mainly flat and wait-and-see. The epoxy propane market may operate weakly in the short term, and more attention needs to be paid to the impact of cost.

This week, the lead market (3.4-3.11) saw a slight increase, with the average domestic market price last week at 15850 yuan/ton and this week at 15965 yuan/ton, up 0.73%.

K-bar chart of commodity prices, using the concept of price trend K-line, reflects the weekly or monthly price fluctuations in the form of a bar chart. Investors can buy and sell based on the changes in the K-bar chart. Red indicates an increase; Green indicates a decline; The height of the K-bar indicates the range of fluctuations. The overall market trend has been weak recently, with the market falling for three consecutive months. The lead ingot market has had relatively small fluctuations recently.

Fundamentally speaking, the supply at the mining end has remained tight in the near future. Coupled with the recent high prices of silver, the processing fees for silver and lead ore have slightly decreased, but overall they are still operating at a high level. Some smelting enterprises in Hunan region have maintenance plans after entering March, which are expected to continue until the end of March. As a result, the supply of primary lead has slightly tightened, and there has been little change in the area of recycled lead in the near future. In terms of demand, downstream battery companies have gradually resumed production after resuming work. Currently, most companies are operating normally and are in a seasonal off-season. Downstream demand is maintained by replenishing inventory, and lead ingots are purchased on demand. Demand support still exists. Overall, the market is still in a post holiday recovery period, and the volatility of the futures market is also limited. Recently, the market has been operating weakly with little volatility. It is expected that the market will experience narrow fluctuations in the short term.

Related data:

On March 10th, the base metal index was 1185 points, unchanged from yesterday, down 26.67% from the highest point in the cycle of 1616 points (2022-03-09), and up 84.58% from the lowest point of 642 points on November 24th, 2015. (Note: The cycle refers to 2011-12-01 present).

On March 10th, the non-ferrous index was 1108 points, unchanged from yesterday, a decrease of 27.96% from the highest point in the cycle of 1538 points (2021-10-18), and an increase of 82.54% from the lowest point of 607 points on November 24th, 2015. (Note: The cycle refers to 2011-12-01 present).

According to the price monitoring of Business Society, in the 10th week of 2024 (3.4-3.8), there were a total of 8 commodities in the non-ferrous sector that showed a month on month increase in commodity prices. The top 3 commodities with the highest increase were gold (3.55%), silver (2.92%), and zinc (2.69%). There are a total of 12 products with a month on month decline, and the top 3 products with the largest decline are metal praseodymium (-3.43%), magnesium (-3.27%), and praseodymium neodymium alloy (-2.29%). The average increase and decrease this week is -0.11%.

1、 Price trend

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Business Society, the average market price of domestic caprolactam on March 4th was 13850 yuan/ton, and on March 8th, the average market price of domestic caprolactam was 13525 yuan/ton. The price of caprolactam fell by 2.35% this week.

2、 Market analysis

The market price of caprolactam has fallen this week. This week, the price of raw material pure benzene has been lowered, and cost support has weakened. At present, the market has sufficient supply and limited downstream demand, leading to an increase in bearish sentiment in the market.

This week, the price of raw material pure benzene has dropped. On March 4th, the price of pure benzene was 8275 yuan/ton. On Friday (March 8th), the price of pure benzene was 8261 yuan/ton, a 2.61% decrease from last week. This week, the price of Sinopec’s pure benzene was 8350 yuan/ton (prices in Shandong and Hebei regions fell by 200 yuan/ton simultaneously).

The downstream PA6 market prices have fallen this week. Enterprise quotations have been lowered, mainly for old customers. As of March 7th, the average reference price for domestic PA6 is 15150 yuan/ton.

3、 Future Market Forecast

Business Society Caprolactam Analysts believe that the caprolactam market has weakened recently. Insufficient cost support, coupled with oversupply in the market, has led to an increase in bearish factors. It is expected that the short-term market for caprolactam will continue to be weak and mainly consolidate.