According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, from May 12th to 16th, the domestic ethanol price rose from 5293 yuan/ton to 5374 yuan/ton, with a price increase of 1.52%, a month on month increase of 2.60%, and a year-on-year decrease of 11.28%. The ethanol market continues to rise, with some regions facing significant cost pressures for enterprises. Orders are shipped, production is not high, inventory pressure is not significant, and there is a clear intention to increase prices. However, new orders have limited transactions.

In terms of cost, the price of corn fluctuates. The arrival volume of deep processed corn in Shandong and Hebei is still acceptable, and some enterprises have seen a narrow reduction in corn prices. Henan’s deep processing enterprises have generally received goods and prices have increased. Before the wheat harvest, grassroots grain points were able to monetize their shipments, but overall supply pressure was not significant. The cost of ethanol is influenced by favorable factors.
There are unlikely to be significant favorable factors in the supply of ethanol.
On the demand side, from the demand side, the demand for Baijiu fluctuates little, and the downstream stock of chemical industry needs to be replenished. The short-term demand for ethanol has a moderate impact.
In the future, with stable supply and ongoing cost pressures, companies have a clear willingness to raise prices, and ethanol prices may remain stable. Business Society’s ethanol analyst predicts that the domestic ethanol market will consolidate and operate in the short term.

Product Name: Pure Benzene
Latest price: On May 13th, the average market price was 5785.33 yuan/ton, an increase of 5.66% compared to the previous trading day.
Analysis: The price of pure benzene in the domestic market has increased. The high-level economic and trade talks between China and the United States have reached a consensus, and market concerns about the risk of trade disputes have weakened, leading to an increase in international oil prices. Affected by macro positive factors and yesterday’s rise in the price of pure benzene in foreign markets, market sentiment quickly improved, and pure benzene industry players had good confidence, leading to a strong upward trend in pure benzene prices. However, the market still needs to pay more attention to whether downstream demand can return. It is expected that the pure benzene market will be more cautious in the short term, and actual transactions will be discussed on a case by case basis.

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, from May 6th to 9th, MTBE prices rose from 4862 yuan/ton to 4875 yuan/ton, with a price increase of 0.26% during the period, a month on month decrease of 13.14%, and a year-on-year decrease of 32.41%. During the May Day holiday, the market experienced a significant decline, suppressed by multiple factors such as a drop in crude oil prices, weak gasoline prices, and poor logistics transportation. Prices showed a clear downward trend, and downstream businesses moderately bought up inventory after the holiday, slowing down the decline. However, the market still faced resistance due to weak resource supply, and the overall trend remained weak.

On the cost side, in terms of crude oil: The international oil price has fallen, and the main negative factors are: OPEC+will accelerate production increase, and the positive signals released by the US Iran negotiations have eased the situation in Iran. As of May 8th, the settlement price of the main Brent crude oil futures contract was $62.84 per barrel.
On the demand side, in terms of gasoline terminal demand, during the May Day holiday, the middle and lower reaches digested inventory, weak transactions, and refinery prices fell; Although there has been an increase in post holiday replenishment trading volume, crude oil has dropped significantly, and the rebound of gasoline and diesel is weak; Under low inventory of diesel, the market support is strong, and the price drop is smaller than that of gasoline. The MTBE demand side is affected by bearish factors.
On the supply side, there is a shutdown plan and an expectation of reduced resource supply. The short-term domestic MTBE supply is affected by favorable factors.
As of the close on May 8th, the closing price of the Asian MTBE market has decreased by $13.51 per ton compared to the previous trading day, with FOB Singapore closing at $649.53-651.53 per ton. The closing price of the European MTBE market has increased by $13/ton compared to the previous trading day, with FOB ARA closing at $741.49-741.99/ton. The closing price of the MTBE market in the United States increased by $15.09 per ton compared to the previous trading day, and the FOB Gulf offshore price closed at $708.29-708.64 per ton (199.99-200.09 cents per gallon).
Future forecast: Currently, MTBE is suffering from severe losses, and manufacturers are not willing to offer discounts. However, demand is substantively weak. MTBE analysts from Shengyi Society believe that the domestic MTBE market is mainly characterized by weak fluctuations.

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, as of the 30th, the price of ethyl acetate was 5516.67 yuan/ton, a decrease of 0.30% compared to the price of 5533.33 yuan/ton on April 26th, and a decrease of 1.08% from the beginning of the month. Supply side enterprises are experiencing poor shipments, raw material prices are falling, and downstream demand is average before the holiday. As a result, the market for ethyl acetate has once again declined.
There has been little change in the operation of domestic ethyl acetate plants this week, and the market supply of goods is sufficient. The price of ethyl acetate continues to fall, and the upstream market is weak, with weakened cost support. The demand side consumes inventory slowly, and the enthusiasm for entering the market for purchasing is poor. The mentality of the industry is bearish, and the price of ethyl acetate continues to decline.
In the future, the ethyl acetate market is expected to remain weak and stable, with downstream companies adopting a wait-and-see attitude and insufficient demand support. Supply side enterprises are facing increased inventory and sales pressure, and there is a lack of favorable market conditions. It is expected that the price of ethyl acetate will continue to operate weakly in the short term, and specific attention will be paid to changes in supplier equipment and downstream follow-up.

The market price of acrylic acid has fluctuated within a small range recently, showing a slight upward trend. This may be due to the intensification of the game between supply and demand, the slowdown of downstream procurement pace, and the contraction of market trading volume. As of April 29th, the benchmark price of acrylic acid in Shengyi Society was 7533.33 yuan/ton, a decrease of -0.44% compared to the beginning of this month (7566.67 yuan/ton).
Supply side: The operating rate of domestic acrylic acid factories remains stable, and some enterprises adjust their loads due to cost pressures, but there is no significant oversupply overall.

Propene trend: As the core raw material of acrylic acid, propylene prices have been fluctuating downward recently. As of April 29th, the benchmark price of propylene in Shengyi Society was 6638.25 yuan/ton, a decrease of -1.59% compared to the beginning of this month (6745.75 yuan/ton).
Demand side: Downstream industries such as coatings, adhesives, and water treatment have weak demand, dragged down by slow macroeconomic recovery and weak demand in some end industries (such as real estate and infrastructure). Enterprises mainly purchase on demand, lacking the motivation to stockpile goods.
The cost of propylene accounts for 60% -70% of the total cost of acrylic acid. The decline in propylene prices directly weakens the cost support of acrylic acid, theoretically opening up downward space for acrylic acid prices. However, currently the acrylic acid market is experiencing a weak balance between supply and demand, and prices have not kept pace with the decline, resulting in a slight recovery in corporate profit margins.
In summary, the current acrylic acid market is in a bi-directional squeezing stage of “cost weakening+flat demand”, with short-term or sustained price fluctuations. It is necessary to closely monitor the trend of raw material propylene and the marginal changes in downstream demand to prevent periodic market fluctuations caused by supply-demand imbalance.

According to the commodity analysis system of Shengyi Society, the hydrogen peroxide market has weakened since April. On April 1st, the average market price of hydrogen peroxide was 690 yuan/ton. On April 26th, the average market price of hydrogen peroxide was 686 yuan/ton, a decrease of 0.48% in price.

Weak supply and demand, sluggish hydrogen peroxide market in April
Since April, the terminal demand in the printing and papermaking industry has been poor, and some hydrogen peroxide manufacturers have shut down for maintenance, easing the supply pressure to some extent. The price of hydrogen peroxide has continued to adjust weakly, and the average price in the domestic market has fallen to around 680 yuan/ton, with a price drop of about 50 yuan/ton. The hydrogen peroxide market is sluggish, with average market transactions and narrow range fluctuations.
As the end of the month approaches, the pressure on hydrogen peroxide supply is relatively low, and the demand for terminal papermaking and printing industries has improved. The hydrogen peroxide market has risen slightly, with prices increasing by 10-30 yuan/ton. Overall, there was a slight decline in April.
Business Society’s hydrogen peroxide analyst believes that after the May Day holiday, the rigid demand for hydrogen peroxide has improved, and the market is expected to see an increase.

This week, the domestic phenol market experienced a rise followed by a decline. According to data monitored by Business Society, the domestic phenol market price was 6945 yuan/ton on April 18th and 6975 yuan/ton on April 25th, an increase of 0.43%.
During the week, the phenol ketone unit of Tianjin Petrochemical was shut down for maintenance, and the expected supply of goods in the north tightened. The Shandong region was the first to raise prices, and trading reports rose. However, terminal factories were cautious in chasing higher prices and showed obvious resistance to high prices. As the holiday approaches, there is no significant increase in pre holiday stocking, and downstream terminal procurement is slow, with little pressure on supply and shipment. However, the intention to offer discounts is cautious, and the market has weakened, with no significant improvement in trading.
As of the 25th, the shipment of phenol in East China has reached 33000 tons, out of a total of 35000 tons. There are still 3000 tons shown in the picture. During the week, the Tianjin phenol ketone unit of China Saudi Arabia was shut down for maintenance, while the feeding of Sinopec Mitsui was restarted and the load is being increased.
Business Society predicts that next week will be the last week of the May Day holiday, and downstream factories of phenol will have a flat stocking mood and little inventory intention. Considering the average price and low pressure on end of month shipments, as well as limited discounts, overall, the phenol market is narrow and unclear, and attention should be paid to the cost and demand situation.

The domestic acetone market experienced a rise followed by a decline. The national acetone market reported a price of 5950 yuan/ton on April 11th and 5997 yuan/ton on April 18th, an increase of 0.8%. From the perspective of the acetone market in East China alone, there is a fluctuation space of 50 yuan/ton for first rising and then suppressing, and the current offer is at 5900 yuan/ton.

The cargo has arrived and the port inventory has increased at the beginning of the week. As the cargo gradually arrived at the port, the port inventory increased to 27000 tons at the beginning of the week. The operating rate of domestic enterprises for phenol ketone is 70%, and the supply pressure is not significant. The trading volume remains stable, with some tentative high reports. And with the rebound of the pure benzene market, costs have supported acetone.
Downstream demand consolidation is poor, procurement is slow, and there is room for negotiation on actual orders. The acetone market has limited fluctuations during the week, and traders mainly focus on shipping.
The acetone offers in major mainstream markets across the country on April 318 are as follows:
Region/ Quotation on March 31st/ Weekly increase and decrease
East China region/ 5920./ 70
Shandong region/ 6020./ 100
Yanshan region/ 6050./ 100
South China region/ 6050./ 50

It is reported that the inventory at Jiangyin Port on the 14th was 27000 tons, slightly higher than last week. On the 17th, the acetone cargo statistics were 36000 tons, with 18000 tons in transit. The current operating rate of phenol ketone enterprises remains around 70-80%.
It is expected that the acetone market will continue to fluctuate within a certain range next week. The Tianjin Zhongsha plant is scheduled to shut down for maintenance next week. The supply pressure of phenol ketone enterprises is not high, and there is a high possibility of stable and firm offers from traders. In the short term, the terminal demand is still mainly driven by demand. Settlement is approaching next week, and trading is average, with limited market volatility. The market in East China is mainly priced at 5900-6000 yuan/ton.

1、 Price trend
According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, the price of bromine has increased this week. The average market price at the beginning of the week was 33400 yuan/ton, and the average market price over the weekend was 37500 yuan/ton, with a price increase of 12.28% and a 107.18% increase compared to the same period last year. On April 10th, the Business Society Bromine Index was 129.82, up 3.5 points from yesterday, a decrease of 47.05% from the highest point of 245.18 points during the cycle (2021-10-27), and an increase of 120.33% from the lowest point of 58.92 points on October 29, 2014. (Note: The cycle refers to the period from September 1, 2011 to present)
2、 Market analysis
This week, the price of bromine has been rising, with the price of bromine in Shandong region increasing. The mainstream market price is around 37000-38000 yuan/ton. Bromine inventory is tight, downstream flame retardant manufacturers have stable demand, imported bromine has been delayed, and prices have risen. It is expected that prices will remain stable with some increase in the short term. In terms of raw materials, domestic sulfur prices have remained strong, with an average market price of 2491 yuan/ton at the beginning of the week and 2431 yuan/ton over the weekend. The price has decreased by 2.41% and increased by 108.97% compared to the same period last year. Downstream demand is generally average.
Prediction: Bromine prices are expected to rise in the near future, while upstream sulfur prices are expected to consolidate. Bromine supply is tight, while downstream demand is stable. However, the supply of imported bromine is slow. Overall, it is expected that bromine prices may continue to rise in the later period, depending on downstream market demand.

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, domestic lithium carbonate has maintained a weak and volatile market recently. As of April 3, domestic battery grade lithium carbonate was 73900 yuan/ton, down 4.6% from 77460 yuan/ton in the same period last month, down 6.22% from 78800 yuan/ton at the beginning of the year, and down 36.73% from 116800 yuan/ton in the same period last year; Domestic industrial grade lithium carbonate is priced at 72200 yuan/ton, a decrease of 3.35% from the beginning of the month at 74700 yuan/ton, a decrease of 5.5% from the beginning of the month at 76400 yuan/ton, and a decrease of 33.76% from the same period last year at 109000 yuan/ton.

Supply side bearish: Supply side sources increase
The production capacity of domestic salt lakes has been released, and the maintenance of smelters in Jiangxi, Sichuan and other places has been completed, resulting in an increase in market supply.
The price of imported spodumene fluctuates at a high level, increasing cost pressure on manufacturers and showing a clear willingness to raise prices. In January and February 2025, the import quantity of spodumene in China was 1.157 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 42.7%. Among them, 574000 tons were imported from Australia, 250000 tons were imported from South Africa, and 151000 tons were imported from Zimbabwe.
Positive news on the demand side: the energy storage sector is recovering
The power battery end is purchased on demand, and the demand growth is not significant.
The energy storage sector has seen a rebound in orders and an increase in production scheduling.
In April 2025, the lithium battery industry chain showed a strong growth trend. The total output of major enterprises increased by 53% year-on-year, continuing the high growth trend of the first quarter of 2025. The battery production in March has reached 106GWh, an increase of 15% compared to the previous month. In April, driven by the dual policies of trade in of new energy vehicles and energy storage demand, the capacity utilization rate of top enterprises remained high.
The data analyst of Shengyi Society believes that in the short term, the price of lithium carbonate will continue to fluctuate due to cost support and weak demand rebound, and specific changes in market supply and demand still need to be monitored.