Lead: Since August, the domestic acetone market has shown mixed gains and losses, with an overall upward trend. According to data from Chempricehub Information, the acetone price in the East China market rose from 6,225 RMB/ton on July 31 to 6,375 RMB/ton on August 10, with holders' sentiment to push prices up continuing to heat up. The core logic behind this round of increase lies in supply-side tightening, while demand-side support remains relatively limited—essentially a phase of supply-demand mismatch.
The drivers behind the acetone market uptick are concentrated on the supply-side contraction. First, domestic phenol-acetone unit maintenance is highly concentrated, with acetone output losses reaching as high as 103,700 tons in July, and industry capacity utilization once falling to 66.53%. Entering August, as Chang Chun Plastics (Jiangsu) and Longjiang Chemical's phenol-acetone units gradually resumed production, Formosa Chemical & Fibre's phenol-acetone unit was forced to shut down due to raw material supply interruptions caused by typhoon impacts, while Wanhua Chemical's phenol-acetone unit entered planned maintenance. Domestic acetone supply has shown a phased reduction.
As of August 10, the acetone port inventory in Jiangyin, China, stood at 11,500 tons, of which Huaxi accounted for 10,000 tons and Hengyang 1,500 tons. In terms of imported supply, only 13,000 tons of acetone cargo shipments were scheduled for Jiangyin in August, with 3,000 tons already arrived and 10,000 tons in transit. Tensions in the Middle East, compounded by typhoon weather, led to cargo shipment delays, pushing port inventories down to low levels.
Against the backdrop of concentrated and tight spot supply, holders showed strong reluctance to sell and a firm willingness to push prices up, with offers remaining robust and low-priced supplies scarce in the market.
On the demand side, the performance of bisphenol A, a major downstream of acetone, has been weak, with the East China market fluctuating around 9,400 RMB/ton and showing sluggish follow-through demand for acetone. Apart from the MMA sector, which maintains acceptable profitability, most downstream acetone industries remain in a loss-making state, with limited capacity to absorb higher prices. End-user procurement has largely stayed at essential-needs levels, with noticeably insufficient follow-through—becoming a key factor constraining the sustainability of the acetone price rally.
Looking ahead, this round of acetone price increase is a phase-driven market move stemming from tight supply, typhoon impacts, and short-term mismatches, rather than a reversal driven by comprehensive demand recovery. As imported cargo shipments arrive sequentially in mid-to-late August and domestic operating rates potentially recover, the tight spot supply situation will gradually ease, and there is a risk of the market center shifting lower. It is recommended that operators capitalize on the window of tight near-term supply, while closely monitoring the inflection point in port inventory and changes in downstream operating rates.
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