Introduction: In November, the pricing of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (AHF) rose significantly. The price center for major refrigerant manufacturers in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region concentrated between 15,300 and 15,650 RMB/ton, with increases ranging from 500 to 1,100 RMB/ton. In the Shandong region, prices absorbed the upward trend at higher levels, concentrating between 15,500 and 15,600 RMB/ton. Prices across northern and southern regions have largely converged, eliminating previous price spreads.
Northern Major Producers Have Not Yet Resumed Operations; Bullish Sentiment Continues to Strengthen on This Basis
The bullish momentum in the AHF market has not subsided. There are no clear signals regarding the resumption of operations by major producers in northern China. Market participants continue to leverage tight supply conditions to repeatedly push prices higher. Although AHF prices have fluctuated within a range since July, the overall trend has continued to break through highs seen in recent years. Following the official pricing announcements, spot trading activity remained robust, with no spot transactions occurring below the set price levels. High market prices have prompted most production enterprises to resume operations or maintain high load rates over extended periods. To date, some companies have begun offering shipment compensation due to prolonged production schedules. Alternating capacity utilization continues to sustain the bullish atmosphere, thereby supporting the price center.
Sustained Pressure from Sulfuric Acid Deepens Bullish Expectations Among Market Participants
In October, regional differentiation in the Chinese sulfuric acid market intensified significantly. The national average price for 98% sulfuric acid rose from 1,232 RMB/ton at the beginning of the month to 1,395 RMB/ton at the end, with a monthly average of 1,391 RMB/ton—a decrease of 6 RMB/ton or 0.43% compared to the previous month. Before the National Day holiday, acid producers in Hubei, Anhui, Henan, and other regions lowered prices to alleviate inventory buildup pressures during the holiday period. After prices hit low points, shipment volumes improved markedly, with low-priced goods flowing into relatively higher-priced regions such as Shandong and Hebei. During the National Day holiday, quotes across various regions generally maintained pre-holiday levels, and the market remained largely in wait-and-see mode. Inner Mongolia and Northeast China entered their early-month price adjustment window; downstream users in these areas are primarily fertilizer enterprises. As autumn fertilizer demand in the Northeast wound down, quotes in both regions were uniformly adjusted downward. By mid-month, market differentiation became clearer. Regions including Guangxi, Anhui, Hunan, and Jiangxi saw listed prices rise broadly, supported by centralized maintenance shutdowns at major acid plants which tightened supply. Conversely, downstream acceptance in Eastern Inner Mongolia was sluggish, leading to inventory accumulation and multiple reductions in listed prices. Acid producers in Shandong faced bearish sentiment due to earlier inflows of low-priced goods and price cuts in surrounding markets, resulting in slow price declines amid stalemate conditions. At the end of the month, regional divergence expanded further. In southern markets, particularly Jiangxi and Fujian, sulfuric acid costs exerted significant pressure on the cost side, squeezing profit margins. Combined with persistent market efforts to drive prices higher based on tight supply conditions, this ultimately led to another substantial increase in prices.
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