During the final week of November 21, 2025, acetic acid markets had a disparate impact due to differences between regional supply and demand situations. For example, a drop-in manufacturing activity and maintenance outages supported a strong acetic acid market in China, thus reducing pressure on inventories and providing producers with positive market sentiment. Strong-end user product demand for acetic acid from coating, textiles and fluid packaging applications further supported the market in China; however, buyer confidence levels did not allow for any purchase increases and limited buyers to ‘just in time’ purchase behaviours. On the other hand, the weakened demand from the resins, coatings and construction industries weighed very heavily on the acetic acid markets in Germany. Seasonal declines in foreign purchasing and logistics challenges associated with major shipping ports negatively impacted confidence levels among German-based suppliers. Furthermore, the growing supply of acetic acid inventories led to reduced prices from suppliers further contributing to the downward pressure on confidence levels and prices in Germany. As a result, there is a clear difference in market expectations between China and Germany for the last month of November 2025.
Acetic acid markets in China and in Germany trended opposite each other over the week ending on November 21st, 2025. While the Chinese acetic acid price increased on lower running rates in the local producers and strong overall trading sentiment, the other, in the German market, the acetic acid price decreased because of lower demand amidst some logistics issues. The opposite trends in the Chinese and German acetic acid markets reveal the divergence in the Asian and European markets in the week ending on November 21, 2025.
In the Chinese market, acetic acid prices strengthened as a few producers continued their maintenance shutdowns, and hence, capacity use reduced, mitigating inventory pressures. The cost-supportive supply scenario was supplemented by the downstream inquires in the packaging, textile, and coating sectors. Despite this, the prudent purchasing attitude, basing demands on need, because of reduced supply, supported price increases. The feedstock methanol price offered minor support, despite the overcapacity scenario in the methanol industry. The export demand was sluggish, but the consumption was adequate in the Chinese market to support the increase in the acetic acid price.
The Indian benzene market was, however, impacted by the fall in the deliveries recorded in the Southeast Asia and other European countries. The shipments gradually reduced due to the seasonal downturn. The congestion in the unloading process in the Hamburg maritime terminal increased the logistics chain. The customers acquired the product only when there was an immediate need. The distributors possessed inventory in stock due to the preceding months. With the fall in the feedstock methanol, there was a decrease in the cost of production, and suppliers maintained their offer in the lower range. The inventory in stock reduced, contributing to the normal supply. The demand, however, increased in the Indian market.
In terms of outlook, the acetic acid market would remain range-bound, and the role of supply would be critical. In the Chinese market, stable local demand in the packaging and coating sectors, together with diminishing inventories, could sustain sturdy price structures for acetic acid through the latter part of November. Yet, the sluggish performance in export sectors and rival export offers from other Asian producers might curb price gains. Destocking in the run-up to the year-end in the German market and reduced activity in the construction industry would press on acetic acid prices. There would be limited scope for gains, and factors would include the seasonality and prudent purchasing plans. In the Chinese acetic acid market, the regional differences are manifested through the fall in the German market, and the global acetic acid markets would be driven by strategies on the supply side, shipping uncertainties, and expectations regarding the turns in the downstream sectors.
