Mid-February n-propanol prices in China were flat after the January correction, as logistics bottlenecks and carryover inventories kept spot activity subdued. February restocking ahead of the Spring Festival provided brief support from chemical, pharmaceutical, and paint buyers, but the pulse faded. Market sentiment remained cautious due to port congestion and vessel wait times, with producer offers disciplined. Demand was mixed: the construction segment stayed soft amid weak property investment, while coatings and solvent procurement held steady at routine levels. Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics provided partial support, with cosmetics exports continuing to expand and underpin solvent use. The n-Propanol producers maintained steady operating rates on inventory carryover, though selective curtailments emerged to manage costs.
China n-propanol prices were essentially flat in mid-February 2026 per weekly assessment data, following a sharp monthly correction earlier in January when prices decreased 9.32% month on month. Early February saw some pre-holiday support as downstream chemical, pharmaceutical, and paint manufacturers replenished inventories ahead of the Spring Festival, but that buying pulse faded into a calm market by mid-month. Logistics friction at major ports and a mix of carryover inventories and disciplined producers offers left spot activity subdued for n-propanol, producing a largely stable price picture through mid-February.
Demand patterns for n-propanol were mixed across end-use sectors. The construction-linked segment remained soft, with weaker property investment and slower infrastructure expansion damping paints and coatings demand, while coatings and solvent procurement among leading buyers held at routine levels, keeping that channel steady. Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics provided partial support, as global drugmakers increased licensing activity and cosmetics exports continued to expand; according to ChemAnalyst data, cosmetics exports rose 8.7% year on year and reached 3.99 billion in the first 11 months of 2025, underpinning formulation solvent usage. In contrast, agricultural intermediate production and some industrial cleaning applications showed limited appetite for n-propanol amid broader downstream caution.
Upstream dynamics offered a mixed influence on n-propanol supply. Propylene moved higher during the assessment period, rising around 1.8% over the week; however, producers generally sustained steady operating rates thanks to inventory carryover and deliberate production planning, but signs of selective curtailments were evident as firms weighed elevated feedstock costs. Meanwhile, port yard utilisation and longer vessel waiting times increased the prospect of shipment delays, adding to logistical complexity and weakening export sentiments for n-propanol.
Weekly behaviour showed a volatile transition into a flat mid-February run. Per weekly assessment data, n-propanol prices fell notably in early January before recovering in the latter part of the month — the market registered a sharp decline and a subsequent recovery with significant weekly moves in January — then settled into a calm pattern with no material change through mid-February. Specifically, n- propanol market show pronounced dips and rebounds in January, followed by stability in the weeks ending Feb 13 and Feb 20, underlining that recent momentum has been muted rather than directional.
Looking ahead, ChemAnalyst expects modest upward pressure in the near term, with a conditional upside projected for February based on current market trends of n-propanol. Key drivers include pre-Spring Festival restocking, ongoing port congestion and transport cost pressures, and potential domestic supply restraint as some units curb output amid elevated feedstock costs. That upside can be tempered by comfortable inventories of n-propanol and subdued construction-related demand; the outlook, therefore, remains subject to market conditions and post-holiday inventory normalization, with seasonal summer demand later in the year potential positive for industrial and specialty applications.
