April 24 News – For the week ended April 23, the operating rate of soda ash plants stood at 84.30%, an increase of 2.09% compared to the previous week; soda ash production reached 798,400 tonnes, up 2.54% week-on-week. According to Chempricehub's analysis of soda ash, the bullish-bearish rating is -1. The report indicates that for the week ending April 23, the operating rate of soda ash plants was 84.30%, a sequential increase of 2.09%, with output at 798,400 tonnes, up 2.54%. This points to a notable increase in supply, which may lead to an imbalance between supply and demand, exerting downward pressure on spot prices. In terms of futures, considering the near-term contracts for soda ash (e.g., the 2609 contract with open interest of 899,129, settlement price of 1,263 CNY/tonne, and a daily change of +10.00), although some contract prices saw slight increases, the expectation of rising supply will likely reinforce future inventory accumulation and limit upside potential for futures prices. The overall assessment is moderately bearish, as the magnitude of the supply increase, while considerable, is not extreme, potentially triggering short-term corrections.