As of late September 2025, the price of polycarbonate (PC) in Asia was stable, amid weak demand and ongoing global trade tensions. The supply of PC in Asia increased due to higher plant operating loads and maintenance schedules coming to an end. The cost of Bisphenol A has decreased recently, helping lessen the production pressure for PC. Demand overall has remained subdued with few foreign orders and stocking only on a limited basis. Even though trading has been weak, long-term supply concerns and an overall steady stream of exports still persisted to help keep price levels even.
Asian PC prices stabilized by the end of September 2025 with conflicting signals from global trade and domestic market situations. The latest being a 15% tariff imposed on EU autos and auto products by the US from August 1. This has raised questions regarding the impact on global supply chains. The Asian PC market was steady due to balanced supply and cautious demand.
On the supply side, Asian domestic PC gathering plants showed a persistent increase in operating levels towards the second half of September. Industry load increased from 79% to 84% with weekly production approaching 70,000 tons. Contributing to improved production was the turn-around on planned maintenance projects at some key producers like Wanhua Chemical, Lihua Yiwei, and Zhejiang Petrochemical. Despite plentiful supply, certain announcements of upcoming Q4 maintenance have increased hopes of future lower production, playing a minor part in maintaining spot prices.
Raw material trend trends like Bisphenol A, an important PC building block, jumped sharply earlier in September on digestion of inventories and tight supply. However, when the upstream prices of phenol and acetone softened, bisphenol A prices started to move downward, taking some of the cost burden out of PC making and restraining any knee-jerk price movement. The pre-holiday softness left PC support for costs lacking.
Demand conditions were subdued. While September should normally be good for peak season for PC, downstream factories were operating in short and small increases in inventory levels. Foreign trade orders have been weak, and terminal buyers have been reluctant to buy enough expensive goods. Interest from midstream buyers started to emerge with hints of potential maintenance, while overall activity was quiet at that time, with groups inquiring about selling and operating funds rather than increasing stocking levels.
Despite these challenges, PC prices throughout Asia did not drop significantly. Trade was generally muted, remaining at low levels in the low-end of the barrel. Small recoveries were seen based on more longer-term supply issues and cautious optimism. Significant inventories remained in market against modest demand-level rise expectations, and some trading houses foresaw near-term outlook for some type of stalemate.
Statistics by the General Administration of Customs validate this expectation. In August 2025 Asian imports and exports of plastics and related goods increased 1.7% year-over-year respectively, and imports fell. Exports from January-August appreciated 1.6% year-over-year, forming a trade surplus. The statistics reflect consistent foreign demand that keeps the region's price stabilizing factor intact.
In brief, while ongoing global trade tensions and weak demand are on the surface obstacles for market participants, stability in Asian prices in polycarbonate has been underpinned by stable supply and cautious market conduct through to the end of September's observation.
Asian market polycarbonate prices are to remain firm, as per ChemAnalyst. There is strong supply in the polycarbonate market, but weak demand, upcoming plant maintenance, and cautious market sentiment can result in price stability at a low level. The low level of foreign trade with negligible pre-holiday inventory will tend to restrict any price rise in the near term.
