Acetic acid prices rose slightly over the first week of January 2026 in both China and the US Currently increased post-holiday demand and tighter supply conditions were the main drivers for the increase in prices in both countries. In China, prices for acetic acid increased approximately 2% due to reduced operating rates, delayed restarts of production facilities and little to no spot availability due to poor inventories. The rebound in demand from downstream customers who were resupplying their inventories as prices increased contributed to the increase in prices. Several of the important derivative markets for acetic acid are vinyl acetate monomers (VAMs), purified terephthalic acid (PTA), and acetate esters. All these sectors experienced improved demand during the week. US acetic acid prices rose approximately 1% during the week because of a decrease in seasonal inventory draws and the need to restock early in the year. The strong costs of methanol feedstocks were also a factor in assisting with price support in the US Strong ocean freight rates worldwide provided further support to a stable to slightly bullish price outlook for acetic acid in January.
