Costs and Supply Boost Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Monomer Prices to Continue Rising (Sept 11–17, 2026)

1. Key Market Focus This Week

1. Cost Side: Raw material ethylene oxide prices remained firm at high levels during the week, providing solid cost support.
2. Supply Side: Most monomer production units operated normally, resulting in a slight increase in overall supply availability.
3. Demand Side: Downstream buyers maintained a wait-and-see attitude, with market entries primarily driven by restocking for rigid demand at high prices.

2. Weekly Market Analysis

Table 1: Weekly Closing Price Comparison of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Monomers in China
Unit: CNY/ton

Data Source: Chempricehub Information

During this period (September 11–17, 2026), prices for polycarboxylate superplasticizer monomers continued to rise, with new orders being released steadily within the market. As of September 11, the mainstream price for EPEG in the East China market was 11,650 CNY/ton, an increase of 1,250 CNY/ton from the previous week. The weekly average price for EPEG in the key East China market was 11,175 CNY/ton, representing a week-on-week increase of 1,065 CNY/ton. Specifically:

1. East China Market: Apart from individual units operating at reduced loads, most facilities maintained stable operations. Escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East led to a continued upward trend in raw material ethylene glycol prices, boosting market confidence. Spot circulation of ethylene oxide remained tight, supporting high-level pricing. Driven by strong cost support and tight monomer supply, monomer prices continued to climb, reaching year-to-date highs. Downstream end-users maintained small-scale purchases based on rigid demand, while the wait-and-see sentiment persisted.

2. Northeast Market: Production units operated smoothly, but the scarcity of spot goods showed no signs of easing. Monomer manufacturers and holders largely raised prices, leaving almost no low-priced inventory available. Downstream procurement focused primarily on rigid demand, with cautious purchasing sentiment.

3. South China Market: Spot resources were limited. Since earlier orders had not been fully delivered, manufacturers showed weak willingness to accept orders at low prices. Downstream players mostly adopted a wait-and-see approach, maintaining cautious restocking for rigid demand despite high prices.

4. Market Influencing Factors (Data)

1. Supply Data: During this period, the capacity utilization rate of the domestic polycarboxylate superplasticizer monomer industry was 27.01%, an increase of 0.91 percentage points from the previous week. Weekly output reached 30,100 tons, up 3.44% week-on-week.
2. Inventory Data: As of Thursday, the sellable inventory ratio at domestic monomer factories was -33.86%, a decrease of 3.77 percentage points from the previous week. Sellable inventory volume stood at -64,700 tons, a reduction of 7,500 tons compared to the previous period.
3. Cost Data: During this period, the weekly average cost for HPEG in East China was 10,244 CNY/ton, an increase of 698.4 CNY/ton week-on-week. The weekly average cost for TPEG was 10,049 CNY/ton, an increase of 873 CNY/ton week-on-week.
4. Profit Data: During this period, the weekly average profit for HPEG in East China was 1,026 CNY/ton, an increase of 361.6 CNY/ton from the previous week. The weekly average profit for TPEG was 1,221 CNY/ton, an increase of 187 CNY/ton from the previous week.

4. Next Week's Market Forecast

1. Supply Forecast: Load rates at monomer enterprises may fluctuate slightly, with overall operation rates expected to remain relatively stable.
2. Demand Forecast: Downstream users are likely to maintain restocking based on rigid demand, showing caution in chasing higher prices.
3. Cost Forecast: Ethylene oxide prices may trend stronger in the short term, potentially providing support for monomer costs.

Overall Outlook: Next week, polycarboxylate superplasticizer monomer prices are expected to remain strong at high levels, with market fluctuations primarily driven by changes in supply-demand dynamics.

• Supply Side: With raw material supply remaining persistently tight and showing no obvious relief, monomer enterprise load rates may undergo minor adjustments, keeping overall operating rates at low levels. Consequently, spot supply of monomers is unlikely to see significant increases in the short term, as enterprises focus on steadily delivering accumulated prior orders. This tight supply situation provides strong underlying support for the market.
• Demand Side: Currently in the seasonal peak construction period, downstream superplasticizer industries have low inventories and expect restocking needs, providing stability to rigid demand. However, end-users remain cautious about high-priced goods, mainly conducting small-volume purchases based on immediate needs. A wait-and-see atmosphere persists in the market, so overall demand is expected to be cautious yet rigid.
• Cost Side: The US-Iran situation remains unclear, and the supply-demand balance for ethylene glycol may remain tight, keeping prices at high levels. Raw material ethylene oxide supply may continue to be tight. Downstream industries across various sectors maintain consumption based on rigid demand. Ethylene resource supply remains constrained, suggesting prices may oscillate at high levels. In the short term, fundamental support exists for the ethylene oxide market, with expectations for further price increases.

For more detailed weekly market analysis, please refer to the Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer Monomer Weekly Report by Chempricehub Information.