May 11 News – On May 11, Yankuang Guohong conducted a methanol competitive auction, with the final price settled at 3,000 RMB/ton ex-factory in cash, but the auction failed to clear (unsold). The 640,000-ton/year coal-to-methanol plant is currently operating with two gasifiers in service.

Chempricehub Methanol Assessment – Bullish/Bearish Score: -1

Spot Side: The failure of Yankuang Guohong's methanol auction at 3,000 RMB/ton ex-factory cash reflects weak downstream purchasing sentiment and low acceptance of current price levels. Insufficient demand support leaves spot prices with limited upward momentum and short-term downward pressure.

Futures Side: The methanol main contract (M2609) closed at 2,855 RMB/ton on May 8, down 74 RMB/ton from the previous trading day, indicating an overall weak market. This further underlines the subdued demand scenario, exerting downward pressure on near-term futures prices. Overall assessment: moderately bearish.