January 6th News: On January 5th, the total inventory of domestic soda ash manufacturers was 1.5084 million tons, an increase of 101,800 tons from the previous Monday, representing a rise of 7.24%. Among this, light soda ash inventory stood at 795,700 tons, while heavy soda ash inventory was 712,700 tons. Chempricehub's analysis of soda ash indicates a bearish score of -1.5. The total inventory of domestic soda ash manufacturers reached 1.5084 million tons, up by 101,800 tons from the previous week, marking a 7.24% increase, with both light and heavy soda ash inventories showing growth. This significantly suggests an oversupply or weak demand, exerting direct downward pressure on the spot price of soda ash. Rising inventory typically signals an imbalance between market supply and demand, which may dampen spot purchasing enthusiasm and lead to short-term price declines. In the futures market, the main soda ash contracts on January 5th (e.g., the 2609 contract closed at 1,249 yuan/ton, down 12 yuan; the 2605 contract closed at 1,177 yuan/ton, down 23 yuan) generally displayed a downward trend. Although changes in open interest were mixed, the overall sentiment leaned bearish. The inventory news may reinforce bearish sentiment in the futures market, amplifying the extent of price declines. It is anticipated that short-term futures prices will continue to adjust weakly.