Could Global Supply Bottlenecks Extend the US SAN Price Recovery?

US Styrene Acrylonitrile (SAN) spot prices experienced a firm upward push during the final week of August ****, advancing by *.*** as producers adjusted offer levels upward. The SAN price increase was heavily influenced by escalating upstream feedstock expenditures, severe regional supply restrictions, and shifting trade dynamics across domestic and international markets.

A primary driver behind the domestic price surge for SAN was the sharp cost expansion in raw materials, notably feedstock Styrene FOB Texas, which surged by *.*** over the week. Higher energy costs and tightening monomer availability across Gulf Coast processing hubs elevated production costs for downstream copolymer manufacturers. Meanwhile, feedstock Acrylonitrile (ACN) prices remained flat for the week ending August **, ****, providing a stable baseline for SAN but offering little margin relief against rising styrene costs.

Supply-side fundamentals tightened considerably for SAN within North America due to unexpected operational...