April 2026 saw China's styrene imports fall to just 0.07 thousand tonnes, a year-on-year decline of 89.64%. In stark contrast, exports surged 231.90% year-on-year. Market expectations indicate that May 2026 imports will remain scarce, while export volumes are set to moderate.
In April 2026, China imported only 0.07 thousand tonnes of styrene. Month-on-month comparison lacks a valid reference, while year-on-year decline stood at 89.64%. The average import price for the month was $1,258.49/tonne. Cumulative imports from January to April reached 1.7 thousand tonnes, down 66.97% year-on-year. Overall, April 2026 imports are at a notably low level.
| Period | Month | Import Volume (10,000 tonnes) | Import Value (10,000 USD) | Average Price (USD/tonne) |
|--------|-------|-------------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------|
| 2025 | 4 | - | - | - |
| 2026 | 4 | 0.07 | - | 1258.49 |
In stark contrast to sluggish imports, April 2026 saw China export 19.54 thousand tonnes of styrene, up 131.30% month-on-month and 231.90% year-on-year. The average export price was $1,352.60/tonne. Cumulative exports from January to April totaled 39.46 thousand tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 203.91%. April exports hit a new monthly record for 2026, exceeding 190,000 tonnes for the first time.
The main reasons for the sharp export increase: In April, the price spread between Chinese styrene and neighboring countries exceeded theoretical freight costs, while crude oil transportation and price increases drove supply-demand adjustments, continuing to support strong Chinese styrene export deals. Entering May, rising freight rates and the normalization of supply-demand dynamics in various regions reduced demand for imported styrene, leading to a pullback in May exports, and a decline in discussions on exports for June. According to preliminary statistics from chempricehub, May 2026 styrene exports are estimated at around 16 thousand tonnes.
| Period | Month | Export Volume (10,000 tonnes) | Export Value (10,000 USD) | Average Price (USD/tonne) |
|--------|-------|-------------------------------|---------------------------|----------------------------|
| 2025 | 4 | - | - | - |
| 2026 | 4 | 19.54 | - | 1352.60 |
In April 2026, China imported styrene from only 5 countries in small quantities. Russia was the largest supplier, providing 687.45 tonnes, accounting for 99.71% of total April imports.
| Trading Partner | Import Volume (tonnes) | Value (USD) | Average Price (USD/tonne) |
|-----------------|------------------------|-------------|---------------------------|
| Japan | 0.56 | 4,702.00 | 8,396.43 |
| Netherlands | 0.00 | 113.00 | - |
| Russia | 687.45 | 845,557.00 | 1,230.00 |
| United States | 0.00 | 39.00 | - |
| United States | 0.01 | 27.00 | 5,400.00 |
| Unknown | 1.44 | 17,225.00 | 11,961.81 |
In April 2026, only one trade mode was used for styrene imports: General Trade.
| Trade Mode | Import Volume (tonnes) | Value (USD) | Average Price (USD/tonne) |
|------------|------------------------|-------------|---------------------------|
| General Trade | 689.45 | 867,663.00 | 1,258.49 |
In April 2026, imports came from four provinces, with Hebei Province dominating (687.45 tonnes, 99.71% of total).
| Place of Registration | Import Volume (tonnes) | Value (USD) | Average Price (USD/tonne) |
|-----------------------|------------------------|-------------|---------------------------|
| Shanghai | 0.57 | 4,842.00 | 8,569.91 |
| Hebei | 687.45 | 845,557.00 | 1,230.00 |
| Beijing | 0.00 | 39.00 | - |
| Shandong | 1.44 | 17,225.00 | 11,961.81 |
| Total | 689.45 | 867,663.00 | 1,258.49 |
In April 2026, styrene was exported to 29 countries and regions. The top three destinations were India, South Korea, and Turkey, with a combined volume of 15.08 thousand tonnes (77.17% of total). India was the largest buyer at 80,201.04 tonnes (41.04% of total).
| Trading Partner | Export Volume (tonnes) | Value (USD) | Average Price (USD/tonne) |
|-----------------|------------------------|-------------|---------------------------|
| India | 80,201.04 | 111,371,399.00 | 1,388.65 |
| South Korea | 44,829.58 | 59,691,171.00 | 1,331.51 |
| Turkey | 25,769.04 | 30,171,856.00 | 1,170.86 |
| Taiwan, China | 10,250.00 | 15,082,084.00 | 1,471.42 |
| Hong Kong, China| 10,200.00 | 14,070,667.00 | 1,379.48 |
| Japan | 8,972.79 | 12,176,273.00 | 1,357.02 |
| Pakistan | 6,379.84 | 9,086,936.00 | 1,424.32 |
| Indonesia | 3,440.68 | 4,737,339.00 | 1,376.86 |
| Vietnam | 3,141.10 | 4,443,227.00 | 1,414.54 |
| Australia | 480.32 | 728,137.00 | 1,515.94 |
Three trade modes were used, with General Trade being dominant (158,910.9 tonnes, 81.33% of total).
| Trade Mode | Export Volume (tonnes) | Value (USD) | Average Price (USD/tonne) |
|--------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------|---------------------------|
| General Trade | 158,910.86 | 218,074,622.00 | 1,372.31 |
| Processing with Imported Materials | 36,471.84 | 46,196,585.00 | 1,266.64 |
| Contracted Projects Exports | 0.45 | 3,952.00 | 8,782.22 |
| Total | 195,383.15 | 264,275,159.00| 1,352.60 |
Exports originated from 11 provinces. Zhejiang Province led with 62,063.11 tonnes (31.76% of total), followed by Shanghai and Shandong. The top three together accounted for 70.85% of total exports. April exports were mainly shipped directly by coastal production enterprises.
| Place of Registration | Export Volume (tonnes) | Value (USD) | Average Price (USD/tonne) |
|-----------------------|------------------------|-------------------|---------------------------|
| Beijing | 63.13 | 98,341.00 | 1,557.75 |
| Tianjin | 8,533.19 | 10,884,834.00 | 1,275.59 |
| Liaoning | 15,237.09 | 20,648,320.00 | 1,355.14 |
| Shanghai | 47,201.59 | 63,378,845.00 | 1,342.73 |
| Jiangsu | 697.06 | 973,042.00 | 1,395.92 |
| Zhejiang | 62,063.11 | 84,916,959.00 | 1,368.24 |
| Fujian | 28,708.51 | 40,936,398.00 | 1,425.93 |
| Shandong | 29,168.81 | 37,141,152.00 | 1,273.32 |
| Henan | 1,085.46 | 1,713,466.00 | 1,578.56 |
| Guangdong | 2,600.00 | 3,536,000.00 | 1,360.00 |
| Sichuan | 25.20 | 47,802.00 | 1,896.90 |
| Total | 195,383.15 | 264,275,159.00| 1,352.60 |
April 2026 data shows China's styrene imports at only 0.07 thousand tonnes, while exports reached 19.54 thousand tonnes. Domestic styrene supply remains ample; recent overall capacity utilization has hovered around 64%, resulting in fierce market competition. It is expected that Chinese styrene exports will gradually decline, primarily due to the following reasons:
First, ongoing international trade policy games, coupled with Middle East turmoil leading to higher ocean freight costs, have significantly inhibited intercontinental trade between China and the US, China and Europe, etc., while temporarily boosting short-haul local transactions. However, as the impact of geopolitical conflicts weakens or ends, intercontinental market volumes will decrease accordingly.
Second, China's emerging international trading channels have developed slowly. The current short-term export surge is more a result of reduced chemical supply in certain regions due to heightened geopolitical conflicts. Looking at the competitive landscape in major styrene export regions, Europe prefers the Middle East as the optimal import source, followed by the US; distance factors significantly reduce the feasibility of Chinese styrene being sold to Europe. Overall, long-haul export operations remain extremely challenging.
Entering the mid-to-late second quarter, market signals indicate that previously idled styrene production units in Europe and the US are gradually restarting, which may reduce the need for external imports. Meanwhile, the elevated prices of energy and chemical products driven by geopolitical tensions are expected to retreat later in May and June. In summary, Chinese styrene exports are anticipated to trend downward.
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