US Adipic Acid Prices Expected to Decline in September as Asian Imports Increase Competition

USA Adipic Acid prices remained flat in late August 2026 as unimpressive downstream demand, comfortable domestic availability, and stable feedstock economics kept the market balanced. Buyers largely limited purchases to immediate requirements, while producers had little scope to raise offers amid subdued consumption. Although automotive demand provided baseline offtake, weaker construction and coatings activity offset this support and prevented meaningful upward movement in Adipic Acid prices.

Supply and demand dynamics remained broadly balanced during late August. U.S. integrated Adipic Acid producers operated at full rates without reported domestic outages, maintaining adequate availability, while inventories at New Jersey export terminals remained normal. Elevated Gulf Coast refinery utilization kept benzene and cyclohexane streams ample, while stable cyclohexanone and nitric acid prices limited additional production-cost pressure. Adipic Acid demand remained unimpressive across major downstream sectors. U.S. August vehicle sales were forecast at 1.35 million units, down 8.5% year-on-year, although the seasonally adjusted annualized rate remained broadly stable. Automotive applications continued providing baseline requirements, but coatings demand weakened, and construction-oriented polyurethane systems remained soft amid subdued housing activity. Consequently, nylon producers and other consumers maintained cautious procurement and relied on existing inventories, limiting demand-side support for Adipic Acid.

Adipic Acid prices are projected to decline in September 2026, with competitive Asian cargoes expected to exert greater downward pressure on the U.S. market ahead of the Golden Week shutdown. Chinese suppliers are likely to accelerate export offers to clear inventories before holiday-related operating interruptions and prepare for Q4 production cycles, increasing competition for U.S. buyers. Although the peak Atlantic hurricane season introduces a risk of Gulf Coast refinery and logistics disruptions, this factor is expected to provide only limited upside unless an actual production or transportation interruption occurs. With downstream demand remaining unimpressive and buyers maintaining cautious procurement, greater import availability is expected to outweigh weather-related risks, resulting in a net downward price direction for September Adipic Acid.

Beyond September, the Adipic Acid price outlook through Q4 2026 is cautiously mixed. Year-end procurement for Q4 production schedules, particularly from nylon 6,6 resin manufacturers and automotive compound producers, alongside winter restocking, could provide intermittent demand support and prevent a prolonged decline. However, the broader trajectory will depend on Gulf Coast weather disruptions, Asian supply availability following Golden Week, and movements in refinery utilization and crude differentials. Any reduction in Gulf Coast operating rates could tighten benzene and cyclohexanone availability and rebuild production-cost pressure, while strong Chinese export volumes could maintain competitive pricing in U.S. ports. Market participants should therefore monitor hurricane developments, Chinese export volumes around Golden Week, U.S. Gulf Coast benzene settlements, and automotive sales as key indicators for Adipic Acid pricing through Q4 2026.