Phthalic Anhydride Market Stops Falling and Rises
According to the commodity market analysis system of Business Society, as of January 5, the quotation for ortho-xylene-based phthalic anhydride was 6,000 yuan per ton, marking a halt to the decline and an increase compared to the price of 5,533.33 yuan per ton on December 22, with a rise of 8.43%. Starting from late December, the price of phthalic anhydride stopped falling and rebounded. The price of raw material ortho-xylene rose significantly, leading to increased costs. The operating rate of phthalic anhydride enterprises declined, resulting in a tightening supply of phthalic anhydride. Meanwhile, the operating load of downstream DOP enterprises slightly decreased, weakening the demand support for phthalic anhydride. The combination of rising costs and tightening supply has increased the upward momentum of phthalic anhydride, leading to a fluctuating rise in its price.

Rising Costs and Tightening Supply of Phthalic Anhydride
As of January 5, Sinopec's quotation for ortho-xylene was 6,100 yuan per ton, an increase of 400 yuan per ton compared to the price of 5,700 yuan per ton on December 20, representing a rise of 7.02%. The rise in ortho-xylene prices has led to increased costs for phthalic anhydride. After the New Year holiday, the operating load of phthalic anhydride equipment dropped to 65%, resulting in reduced production and a tightening supply of phthalic anhydride. The combination of tightening supply and rising costs has further increased the upward momentum of phthalic anhydride.

Demand Side: DOP Prices Stop Falling and Rise
According to the commodity market analysis system of Business Society, as of January 5, the price of DOP was 7,367.50 yuan per ton, fluctuating upward compared to the price of 7,159.16 yuan per ton on December 20, with a rise of 2.91%. The operating load of plasticizer DOP enterprises slightly decreased to 55%, leading to reduced DOP production and weakened demand support for phthalic anhydride, putting significant downward pressure on phthalic anhydride.

Future Market Forecast
Business Society's phthalic anhydride product data analyst believes that on the demand side, the reduced operating load of plasticizer DOP equipment has led to a decline in plasticizer production, weakening the demand support for phthalic anhydride. On the cost side, the rise in ortho-xylene prices has increased raw material costs, thereby raising the cost of phthalic anhydride. Looking ahead, with rising costs, tightening supply, and weakening demand for phthalic anhydride, it is expected that the price of phthalic anhydride will experience a strong upward trend in the future.