Cost-side pressure eases, acrylic acid market fluctuates at lower levels (September 18, 2026)

1. Daily Summary

① The price of acrylic acid in East China was 8,150 RMB/ton, down by 200 RMB/ton from the previous trading day.

② The average capacity utilization rate of the domestic acrylic acid industry today was 71.6%, remaining unchanged from the previous trading day.

2. Spot Market Overview

Table 1: Summary of Domestic Acrylic Acid Prices (Unit: RMB/ton)

Data Source: Chempricehub

Today, the price of acrylic acid in East China stood at 8,150 RMB/ton, a decrease of 200 RMB/ton compared to the previous trading day. The market experienced a significant downward shift. Raw material costs declined slightly, alleviating pressure on the cost side. Trading sentiment within the market remained flat, with factories and inventory holders adjusting offers according to market trends. Influenced by increased supply on the raw material end, downstream follow-up purchases improved somewhat but remained primarily focused on small-volume orders driven by rigid demand. The center of gravity for actual transaction negotiations dropped. In the short term, the market is expected to fluctuate weakly, with the price center of gravity subject to volatility. Future attention should be paid to downstream purchasing activities and raw material price trends.

3. Production Dynamics

Today, the capacity utilization rate for acrylic acid was 71.6%, unchanged from the previous day. The profit margin for acrylic acid in East China was 209.75 RMB/ton, a decrease of 146.75 RMB/ton from the previous day.

4. Price Forecast

The acrylic acid market is expected to continue its trend of volatile decline tomorrow. Pressure relief on the cost side has weakened its supportive role. Offers from acrylic acid manufacturers and inventory holders are being adjusted flexibly in line with market conditions, with some showing increased willingness to sell. Overall offers are trending lower amidst volatility. Downstream buyers remain cautious, primarily following up with small-volume orders based on rigid demand. While wait-and-see sentiment persists, inquiry activity has shown slight improvement, leading to a drop in the center of gravity for actual transactions. Overall, the acrylic acid market is expected to operate in a weak, volatile manner in the short term.

5. Related Product Updates

Propylene: Today, the propylene market price in Shandong dropped significantly. The mainstream closing reference price was 9,650–9,700 RMB/ton, with an average price of 9,675 RMB/ton, down by 110 RMB/ton from the previous trading day. Lacking positive catalysts, downstream buyers largely adopted a wait-and-see attitude, continuously pressuring producers' shipments. Offers were mainly revised downward with discounts. High-price transactions remained sluggish, with the center of gravity for actual deals shifting toward mid-to-low levels.

Butyl Acrylate: The negotiated price for butyl acrylate in East China ranged from 9,900 to 10,000 RMB/ton, down by 50 RMB/ton from the previous trading day. Today, the butyl acrylate market prices declined narrowly. Although the center of gravity for the raw material n-butanol fluctuated downward, cost pressures for butyl acrylate remained high. Manufacturers and inventory holders maintained high-level offers amid volatility. Some downstream tape master roll and acrylic acid factories followed up with inquiries based on rigid demand, primarily consuming existing inventories and contract volumes. Consequently, the center of gravity for market transactions declined narrowly.

6. Data Calendar

Table 4: Domestic Acrylic Acid Data Overview