According to the commodity market analysis system of Shengyi Society, the lithium carbonate market in August showed a roller coaster trend. At the beginning of the month, the benchmark price of battery grade lithium carbonate was 71333 yuan/ton, and then the price rose all the way to 83733 yuan/ton on the 20th, and then fell to 81733 yuan/ton; At the beginning of the month, the benchmark price of industrial grade lithium carbonate was 70333 yuan/ton, reaching a high of 81166 yuan/ton on the 20th and dropping to 80166 yuan/ton at the end of the month.
Ningwang Mining Area suspends production, lithium carbonate futures hit the daily limit up

On July 7th, the Natural Resources Bureau of Yichun City issued a notice requiring 8 lithium mining enterprises to complete the preparation of verification reports on changes in mineral types and reserves before September 30th, involving 8 enterprises. On August 9th, the Jiangxi Jianxiawo mining area under Ningde Times suspended mining due to the expiration of its mining rights certificate, and the shutdown may last for more than three months. As soon as the news came out, the market reacted violently, and on August 11th, the main contract LC2511 for lithium carbonate futures hit the daily limit up. At present, except for the expiration of the mining license for the porcelain clay mine in the Jianxiawo mining area of Ningde Times, the mining licenses of the other seven mines will expire after 2027. The probability of a complete shutdown of the mine during the renewal period of the mining rights certificate is relatively low.
The fundamental supply-demand imbalance pattern remains unchanged, and market sentiment has suddenly changed
On August 20th, Jiangte announced the resumption of work and production of its Yichun Silver Lithium subsidiary. Coupled with loose expectations for overseas supply, the main futures contract for lithium carbonate fell directly to the limit down, closing at 80980 yuan/ton, a decrease of 8%. The domestic new production capacity continues to climb, coupled with the increase in capacity utilization rate of OEM enterprises, and the price rebound may stimulate active production line shutdowns. The actual impact of Ningde’s shutdown on the supply side is not significant.
Energy storage outbreak to hedge against off-season automotive demand
On the demand side, there is a sharp contrast between the traditional off-season for new energy vehicles and the explosive demand for energy storage. The field of power batteries has shown signs of fatigue, with continued pressure from overcapacity in the mid to low end, and some battery manufacturers’ inventories remaining at 4-5 month levels.
The demand for energy storage has become the core force supporting the price of lithium carbonate. In the first half of 2025, the installed capacity of new energy storage will increase by 160% year-on-year, driving a surge in demand for energy storage lithium iron phosphate. The production of lithium iron phosphate is expected to reach 309200 tons in August, a month on month increase of 3.38%. Some enterprise orders have been scheduled until the first quarter of 2026.
The lithium carbonate data analyst from Shengyi Society believes that the August lithium carbonate market is essentially a product of policy mandatory compliance and market spontaneous regulation. In the long run, the pattern of lithium carbonate oversupply has not changed, and prices may fluctuate near the cost line, but specific market changes still need to be monitored.

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, the TDI market in East China has slightly declined this week. As of August 22, the average market price in East China was 15400 yuan/ton, and on August 18, the average price was 15666 yuan/ton, a decrease of 1.7% during the week and a year-on-year increase of 9.22%.
This week, the TDI market continued its downward trend. The newly built TDI Phase II plant (360000 tons/year) in Fujian Industrial Park has been completed and put into operation recently, producing qualified products. The duration of force majeure at the TDI factory in Germany has exceeded expectations, and the Shanghai factory has once again lowered its supply to the European market by 10% in China this month. Overseas demand remains strong. Factories control goods to increase prices, traders follow the market, and downstream resistance to high prices is evident. Under the supply-demand game, the focus of TDI transactions has shifted downwards.

Supply side: The TDI plant in Yantai will be shut down for maintenance starting from August 19th, with an expected maintenance period of about 40 days; Gansu Yinguang stopped for maintenance on July 27th.
On the cost side: The toluene market has slightly declined, with downstream demand driven procurement resulting in a weak overall supply and demand, and a quiet atmosphere.
Market analysis shows that the TDI data analyst from Shengyi Society believes that the TDI market will continue to maintain a tight supply situation, with favorable supply side conditions. However, downstream demand is poor, and it is expected that the TDI market will maintain a weak trend in the short term. We will closely monitor market supply and demand as well as changes in the news side.

This week, the price of isooctanol fluctuated and fell

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, as of August 15th, the price of isooctanol was 7376.67 yuan/ton, a fluctuating decrease of 0.76% compared to the price of 7433.33 yuan/ton on August 8th. This week, the price of isooctanol rebounded and stopped falling. In August, isooctanol enterprises resumed production, and the operating rate of isooctanol equipment increased to nearly 90%. In addition, with the addition of new production capacity of isooctanol, the supply of isooctanol has increased; Downstream plasticizer companies have started production at a high level and remained stable. The demand for isooctanol for plasticizers has increased, resulting in both supply and demand. As a result, the price of isooctanol has fluctuated and fallen.
Downstream plasticizer DOP prices fluctuate and fall
According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, as of August 15th, the DOP price was 7759.16 yuan/ton, a fluctuating decrease of 0.96% compared to the DOP price of 7834.16 yuan/ton on August 8th. This week, many of the shutdown devices of DOP enterprises have returned to normal, and the operating load of DOP enterprises has remained stable at a high level. This week, DOP production is at a high level, plasticizer production is sufficient, and demand for isooctanol is increasing. The support for the rise in isooctanol prices still exists.
This week, DOP enterprises have increased their production, with a high operating rate stable at 6.70%. The production of plasticizers has increased, and the demand for isooctanol has risen. The support for the price increase of isooctanol still exists.
Future expectations
According to the data analyst of Shengyi Society’s octanol products, in terms of demand, this week’s increase in DOP equipment production by plasticizer companies has led to an increase in DOP production, resulting in a rebound in demand for isooctanol. The support for future increases in isooctanol prices still exists; In terms of supply, the equipment production of isooctanol enterprises has increased, coupled with the production of new isooctanol capacity, resulting in an increase in isooctanol supply. Overall, the supply and demand of isooctanol have increased, and isooctanol is accumulating. It is expected that the price of isooctanol will stop falling and rebound in the future.

1、 Price trend

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, the market price of pure benzene has risen this week. On Monday, the price of pure benzene was 6002 yuan/ton, and on Friday, it was 6142 yuan/ton, with a price increase of 2.33% during the week.
2、 Market analysis
Pure benzene: The market price of pure benzene has risen this week. The newly added downstream styrene unit for pure benzene has been put into operation, and the enthusiasm for downstream raw material demand has increased. In addition, the number of imported shipments this month has decreased, which has a certain positive effect on the pure benzene market. But the trend of crude oil is weak, and after the rise in pure benzene prices, the market has a strong wait-and-see sentiment. Affected by crude oil futures, the buying momentum in the pure benzene market is currently weak, and trading is cautious.
Downstream aspects
3、 Future forecast
Crude oil futures: On August 7th, international crude oil futures closed down. The settlement price of the September WTI crude oil futures contract in the United States was $63.88 per barrel, a decrease of $0.47 or 0.7%. The settlement price of Brent crude oil futures for October was $66.43 per barrel, a decrease of $0.46 or 0.7%.
Foreign pure benzene: FOB Korea fell 5 to 737 US dollars/ton on August 7th, CFR China fell 4 to 750 US dollars/ton. FOB Rotterdam rose 3 to $724 per ton, while FOB US Gulf fell 4 to 271 cents per gallon.
Overall expectation: The pure benzene market is expected to experience slight fluctuations in the short term, with cautious trading. Observe the cost and demand side news. Continue to monitor the trends of crude oil and external markets, as well as the impact of changes in pure benzene and downstream equipment dynamics and demand on the price of pure benzene.

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, from July 28th to August 1st, the domestic ethanol price fell to 5677 yuan/ton, with a price decrease of 0.38% during the period, a price increase of 0.38% month on month, and a year-on-year decrease of 5.58%. The domestic ethanol market price fluctuates narrowly, and the favorable factors on the cost side are gradually weakening. There are slight regional differences in the supply side, and the supply volume has increased and decreased.
In terms of cost, the current purchasing and sales activity of corn is average, and the purchase price of corn for deep processing has been slightly lowered. The downstream stocking enthusiasm is not high, and the price is mainly adjusted in a stable, medium, and narrow range. The impact of ethanol cost is mixed.
On the supply side, there is little fluctuation in the production of edible ethanol. The impact of ethanol supply is mixed.
On the demand side, from the demand side, most Baijiu factories in some regions have been shut down, with limited transactions, mostly for chemical consumption. Negative factors affecting ethanol demand.
Market forecast: Short term prices may remain stable, and some regions may experience a surge in supply and delivery prices. The ethanol analyst from Shengyi Society predicts that the short-term ethanol market trend will mainly focus on observation and consolidation.

In July, domestic liquid ammonia prices rose significantly. According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, the monthly increase in liquid ammonia prices in Shandong region was 10.41%. The main reason is that, against the backdrop of stable downstream demand, many facilities have undergone maintenance, resulting in a decrease in operating rates and tight supply performance. As of the end of the month, the mainstream price of liquid ammonia in Shandong region is between 2500-2700 yuan/ton.

In terms of supply, in the first half of the year, the market supply was basically stable, and the price of liquid ammonia continued to fluctuate within a certain range. Since the second half of the year, some units have entered the maintenance period, and the supply has decreased. In addition, there is not much supply pressure in Shandong, Hebei, Anhui, and the two lakes regions. The main reason for the repeated increase in enterprise quotations is that manufacturers increased their prices by more than 200 yuan/ton in the last two weeks of the end of the month. The market performance shows a slight tightness in supply.
From the demand side, there is not much improvement in downstream demand, with the operating rate of compound fertilizers still at a low level, and the demand for urea remains rigid. Urea has shown a decline in performance throughout July, with a decrease of 0.9%; There is a differentiation in local demand, especially with an increase in phosphate fertilizer demand in the two lake areas, resulting in higher downstream operating rates and a slight improvement in agricultural demand. In addition, the domestic industry urgently needs to follow up, and coupled with the decrease in inventory caused by the early consumption of ammonia plants, manufacturers have shown a clear willingness to raise prices, which has supported ammonia prices.
Market forecast:
Business analysts believe that the rise in liquid ammonia this month is mainly driven by favorable conditions on the supply side. Although there has been improvement on the demand side, the increase is not significant. It is expected to enter August, and the resumption of maintenance equipment in the north is expected. Supply may be tight or improve, which will to some extent dilute the positive news of the increase in compound fertilizer production. Taking all factors into consideration, it is expected that the high price of liquid ammonia will cool down and the price will return to the range of fluctuations.

1、 Price trend

Taking the sulfuric acid method for producing pyrite type titanium dioxide, which has a large volume of goods in the domestic market, as an example, according to data monitoring by Business Society, the price of titanium dioxide in the domestic market fell in July. On July 1st, the average price of titanium dioxide was 13720 yuan/ton, and on July 27th, the average price of titanium dioxide was 13640 yuan/ton, with a price reduction of 0.58%.
2、 Market analysis
The domestic titanium dioxide market prices fell in July. The market situation was light in the first ten days, and downstream factories and traders were more cautious. The trading atmosphere on the market was insufficient, and the market center of gravity shifted downwards. In the middle of the month, the overall demand in the downstream market was weak, and the downstream market was cautious in purchasing goods. The market temporarily stabilized and operated. It is difficult to find favorable support in the second half of the year, and the market has slightly lowered its price. As of now, the domestic quotation for sulfuric acid based pyrite type titanium dioxide is mostly between 12900-14100 yuan/ton; Sharp titanium type costs around 11900-12300 yuan/ton; The actual transaction price is negotiable.
In terms of titanium concentrate, the price of titanium concentrate fluctuated upward in July. This month, the supply of raw ore in the Panxi region has decreased, coupled with high costs, resulting in an increase in prices. But currently, terminal demand is weak, production is insufficient, and raw material procurement is cautious, resulting in severe market price pressure. As of now, the transaction price of 46,10 titanium ore for small and medium-sized manufacturers is between 1750-2000 yuan/ton; The price of 47,20 minerals ranges from 1900-2100 yuan/ton; The price of 38 titanium ore excluding tax is around 1100-1200 yuan/ton. It is expected that the market will remain stable in the short term.
According to customs data statistics, in June 2025, China imported 4888.56 tons of titanium dioxide, a year-on-year decrease of 35.23% and a month on month decrease of 34.54%. Among them, 3504.32 tons of chloride titanium dioxide were imported, and 1384.14 tons of sulfuric acid titanium dioxide were imported. The total import of titanium dioxide from January to June 2025 was 39700 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 16.69%; Among them, 16100 tons of sulfuric acid titanium dioxide were imported, a year-on-year increase of 15.44%; The import of chlorinated titanium dioxide was 23600 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 30.06%.
According to customs data statistics, China’s titanium dioxide exports in June 2025 were 131900 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 25.20% and a month on month decrease of 2.72%. Among them, 107500 tons of sulfuric acid titanium dioxide were exported, a month on month decrease of 2.89%, and 24400 tons of chloride titanium dioxide were exported, a month on month decrease of 2.00%. From January to June 2025, the total export of titanium dioxide was about 916600 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 5.76%, a decrease of about 56000 tons. Among them, the export of chlorinated titanium dioxide was 177200 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 3.04%; The export of sulfuric acid titanium dioxide was 739300 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 6.39%.
3、 Future forecast
Business Society’s titanium dioxide analyst believes that the domestic titanium dioxide market will continue to decline this month. The domestic downstream market demand is in the off-season, and new orders on the market are being cautiously executed. Internationally, the market export situation remains weak. It is expected that the price of titanium dioxide will remain weak and stable in the short term, and the actual transaction price will be subject to negotiation.

According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, from July 21st to 25th (as of 15:00), the domestic methanol market in East China port prices rose from 2409 yuan/ton to around 2500 yuan/ton, with a price increase of 3.77% during the period, a month on month decrease of 5.36%, and a year-on-year decrease of 0.40%. The strong methanol market along the coast is mainly boosted by macro policies, but the increase is limited due to weak traditional downstream demand. Macro favorable conditions continue to ferment, coupled with low inventory levels in production areas and the continued demand for external procurement of olefins due to the decoration of some facilities, leading to a sustained strengthening of the domestic methanol market prices.

As of the close on July 25th, the closing price of methanol futures on Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange has risen. The main contract for methanol futures, 2509, opened at 2479 yuan/ton, with a highest price of 2525 yuan/ton and a lowest price of 2475 yuan/ton. It closed at 2519 yuan/ton in the closing session, up 54 yuan/ton from the previous trading day’s settlement, an increase of 2.19%. The trading volume is 991786 lots, the position is 663505, and the daily increase in position is 31318.
On the cost side, the contradiction between strong supply and weak demand in the coal market will be alleviated, inventory consumption will accelerate, and cost support will be strengthened. The cost of methanol is influenced by favorable factors.
On the demand side, glacial acetic acid: The market price of glacial acetic acid is mostly stable. Formaldehyde: The formaldehyde market is fluctuating. The rise in raw material methanol has led to increased costs, and some factories have raised prices under cost pressure. Dimethyl ether: The dimethyl ether market is stable with some growth. The price of raw material methanol has risen, and the sentiment of dimethyl ether in Hebei and Shandong is strong. Most downstream products have been affected by the rise in methanol prices, and the demand for methanol is biased towards favorable factors.
On the supply side, the overall equipment recovery exceeds the loss, resulting in an increase in capacity utilization. Negative factors affecting the methanol supply side.
In terms of external markets, as of the close on July 24th, the CFR Southeast Asian methanol market closed at $332.50-333.50 per ton, up $3 per ton. The closing price of the US Gulf methanol market was 95.00-96.00 cents/gallon, up 3 cents/gallon; The closing price of FOB Rotterdam methanol market is 235.50-236.50 euros/ton, down 2 euros/ton.
In future market forecasting, attention should be paid to the acceptance of high priced goods by traditional downstream companies, as well as the impact of some maintenance enterprises resuming production on the market. The methanol analyst from Shengyi Society predicts that the domestic methanol spot market will strengthen and consolidate.

Analysis: This week (7.14-18), the liquid ammonia market in Shandong was sluggish, with prices continuing the downward trend from last week. According to the Commodity Market Analysis System of Shengyi Society, the main production area of Shandong experienced a weekly decline of 0.58%. The main reason is the increasing supply pressure and the surplus of market inventory. The maintenance equipment is partially running, and the supply side is showing loose performance. In addition, many manufacturers have increased the amount of ammonia conversion, and the accumulation of liquid ammonia continues to put pressure on the manufacturers. From the beginning of the week to the middle of the week, the prices of manufacturers gradually loosened. As the weekend approached, the prices of manufacturers gradually stabilized. As of Friday, mainstream large factories in Shandong generally lowered their prices by around 50 yuan/ton. Distributors mainly underreport shipments. And downstream procurement enthusiasm is not high, agricultural demand is still in the off-season, industrial demand remains rigid, and the overall demand side is bearish. At present, the mainstream quotation in Shandong region is 2300-2400 yuan/ton.

Prediction: In the near future, the operating rate of downstream compound fertilizers for liquid ammonia will decrease, which will lower the demand for liquid ammonia. Agricultural demand and industrial demand are mainly followed up, with sufficient supply, but the mid-term supply pressure may be partially alleviated. On the one hand, in the main production areas of the north, as prices hover at low levels or supply is tightened, there is an increase in enterprise inspections and price hikes, and it is not ruled out that manufacturers will reduce production and adjust supply. From the demand side, downstream procurement may continue to be sluggish, maintaining reasonable procurement demand. There is not much room for order growth in the later stage, and industrial demand urgently needs to be followed up. Taking all factors into consideration, liquid ammonia may still perform weakly next week, with prices mainly hovering at low levels.

The domestic fluorite prices have remained stable this week, with an average price of 3137.5 yuan/ton as of the weekend, unchanged from the initial price of 3137.5 yuan/ton at the beginning of the week and a year-on-year decline of 14.86%.

Supply side: The mine is operating normally, and the supply of fluorite is normal
The current situation of the game in the domestic fluorite industry still exists. Overall, the operating rate of enterprises has increased. Upstream mining is tight, backward mines will continue to be eliminated, and new mines will be added. Mineral investigation work is still difficult. In addition, national departments need to rectify fluorite mines, and fluorite mining enterprises are facing increasingly strict safety and environmental protection requirements. The difficulty of operating fluorite mines has increased, and the shortage of raw materials has limited the operation of fluorite enterprises. However, with the rise of temperature, northern enterprises are operating normally, and the supply of fluorite enterprises in the field has increased. The lack of active procurement has led to normal spot prices in the field. Some fluorite manufacturers have appropriate inventory, resulting in a low fluorite market situation.
Demand side: Low price of hydrofluoric acid, acceptable refrigerant market
This week, the domestic price of hydrofluoric acid remained low, and the mainstream price for hydrofluoric acid in various regions of China is negotiated at 10000-10500 yuan/ton. Some downstream hydrofluoric acid units are still shut down, and there is little change in the spot supply of hydrofluoric acid. Manufacturers mainly purchase hydrofluoric acid on demand, and the overall production of hydrofluoric acid remains at more than 50%. Fluorine enterprises maintain essential orders, and hydrofluoric acid enterprises are in a loss making state. They are not actively purchasing raw fluorite, and downstream merchants have a strong wait-and-see attitude. Both buyers and sellers have weak expectations for the future market due to poor demand digestion. Recently, the prices of some hydrofluoric acid manufacturers have remained stable, and the fluorite price market has not changed much due to this news.
The downstream refrigerant market in the terminal industry is still promising, and the terminal policy of the refrigerant industry is being strengthened. Demand is expected to achieve substantial improvement. Fluorine chemical enterprises within quota control have strong confidence in raising prices in the refrigerant market. Currently, the pace of high price procurement is relatively slow, but the industry inventory is transmitting in a positive and orderly manner. Due to high prices, the enthusiasm for stocking up in the terminal industry is low, and upstream products are mainly purchased on demand. The trend of refrigerant market is average, while the fluorite market is sluggish.
In addition to the traditional demand in the refrigerant industry, fluorite, as an important mineral raw material for modern industry, is constantly developing in emerging fields. It is also applied in strategic emerging industries such as new energy and new materials, as well as in national defense, nuclear industry and other fields, including lithium hexafluorophosphate, PVDF、 Graphite negative electrodes, photovoltaic panels, etc., have received certain support in the application of fluorite due to the demand for new energy and semiconductors.
Market forecast: In the near future, it is difficult to improve the supply of domestic fluorite mines, and some mines have stopped production and undergone safety inspections. The tight supply of fluorite mines is a positive support for the fluorite market. However, in some areas, the lack of active fluorite procurement has led to an increase in inventory. In addition, downstream resistance to high prices is severe, and hydrofluoric acid enterprises mainly purchase on demand, with no actual increase in demand. In addition, the hydrofluoric acid market remains low. Overall, the fluorite market price is mainly fluctuating in the short term.