January 5th News: On January 5th, Dongming 70#A asphalt's starting bid price was raised by 50 to 3,010 yuan/ton, with the auction scheduled for 10:30 AM (settlement based on the actual auction price). A 3 million tons/year atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit has been shut down for maintenance, resulting in a daily production reduction of approximately 3,000–4,000 tons. Currently, normal shipments are being made. Chempricehub's analysis of asphalt: Bull-bear score: 1.5. The starting bid price was raised by 50 yuan/ton to 3,010 yuan/ton, indicating suppliers' bullish expectations and strengthening confidence in the spot market. The shutdown of a 3 million tons/year atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit for maintenance has reduced daily production by 3,000–4,000 tons, tightening supply and directly benefiting spot prices. However, current normal shipments are mitigating short-term impacts. In the futures market, considering recent contract data (e.g., the 2601 contract closing at 2,979 yuan), the expectation of reduced supply may reverse the downward trend, boosting prices of near-month contracts and fostering positive market sentiment.