In September 2025, U.S. ethyl cellulose import prices dropped for the third consecutive month, down 4.9% as a result of oversupply and poor demand. Ports such as Houston and Los Angeles experienced the largest declines, as Chinese and Indian sellers, hurt by local economic headwinds, oversupplied the market with competitively priced supplies. Chinese ethyl cellulose suppliers picked up export momentum against slowdowns, and Indian exporters took advantage of a weakening rupee, escalating price war. Downstream sectors such as pharmaceuticals and coatings experienced soft demand, with consumers postponing restocking since the inventories were already sufficient. Experts forecast that the bearish trend will continue until 2025 year-end due to economic uncertainty on a global level, strong currency, and soft consumption. Local makers, beset with increasing costs, reduced output so they would not be overstocked. Without a pickup in demand or supply disruption, the bearish price trend is to persist, testing both buyers and suppliers in the near future.
The US market saw regional import prices of ethyl cellulose decline steadily during September 2025, the third consecutive month of declining pressure. Industry experts believe the decline to be due to a combination of weakening global demand, over-supply by Asian producers, and weak downstream demand for ethyl cellulose, especially within the pharmaceutical and coatings industries.
Market statistics reveal that the import prices dropped by a mean of 4-6% during the month with the prices dropping by 4.9% in September and closed at USD 16390/MT with some contracts even lower owing to heavy discounts offered by the sellers for ethyl cellulose.
The prices of ethyl cellulose have fallen most drastically in major port cities like Houston, Los Angeles, and others, where bulk Chinese and Indian imports, world suppliers to America, have flooded the market. Chinese manufacturers, with economic downturns on their home fronts and lifting of export restrictions, increased exports of ethyl cellulose to the U.S. at competitive rates, further fueling price competition. While Indian sellers, assisted by a falling rupee, undercut competitively to retain market share, compounded the downtrend in ethyl cellulose prices.
Downstream industries, historically responsible for much of the demand for ethyl cellulose, have been disappointing over the last few months. The pharmaceutical industry, a significant user of ethyl cellulose in controlled release drug products, has reduced buying by managing inventories and postponed new product introductions. The adhesives and coatings market, another large end-user, has seen softer demand as part of the general slowdown in construction and automotive markets. The market is saturated and the ethyl cellulose buyers have no need to resupply, observed a procurement manager at a leading American drug firm.
Trade analysts predict that the downward slope of price will continue to dominate in the coming future with minimal likelihood of a turnabout before the year 2025 ends. The worldwide economic instability supplemented by the excess level of production along the supply chain is predicted to continue exerting pressure on prices. Additionally, the consistency of the American dollar has kept imports affordable making any price correction in the short term unlikely. Unless there’s a sudden spike in demand or a supply disruption, we’re likely to see prices continue their decline through October and possibly November, said a market strategist at a chemical trade consultancy.
The prolonged price drop of ethyl cellulose has raised concerns with the local manufacturers, who already have to deal with rising cost of doing business and competition. Other US producers also reduce their production levels in order to prevent further piling up of ethyl cellulose, and others are exploring other markets as a compensation option. Industry experts, however, believe that without demand dynamic shift, the bearish trend in ethyl cellulose price will prevail and give trouble to the suppliers and the buyers in the subsequent months.
Market participants are closely monitoring upcoming economic indicators, including manufacturing PMI data and pharmaceutical sector reports, for signs of a potential recovery. Until then, the outlook for ethyl cellulose remains cautiously pessimistic, with stakeholders bracing for further price erosion in the short term.
