In November 2025, Glycerol Monostearate (GMS) was offered at a 1.72% decline from the previous month October, indicating slightly bearish sentiment. The weakening was mainly attributed to the reduction in feedstock cost, palm-based stearic acid, which is tightly related to Asian crude palm oil softened in this month. It enabled exporters from Malaysia, China and India to slash prices without eroding margins. Container freight rates along trans-Pacific routes continued their slow fall from late Q3, further lowering the landed prices for buyers in the U.S. Demand was subdued in downstream from food, beverage and personal care manufacturers, most of which were buying hand-to-mouth amid end-of-year inventory drawdown. Added to this were California’s tightened Prop-65 labelling requirements on RSPO-compliant emulsifiers, which caused buyers to restrict forward purchases during the month due to another compliance issue. In sum, November ended with rates drifting, the supply-demand setting still benign, and a neutral-to-slightly bearish outlook, GMS prices were kept within a tight range.
U.S. demand softened marginally in November 2025 due to bakery, candy, RTE, and beverage companies (packaged) using stocks built up in the fall for promotional activities. Personal care producers diminished GMS demand for conventional grades, switching to RSPO-certified products to comply with amended Prop-65 requirements in the state of California. With minor GMS domestic production, kept flexible film plastics demand stable. Downstream manufacturers “continued to support steady output for anti-static/slip additive treatment, pharmaceutical customers retaining a niche, but consistent sales volume in excipients.” Year-end stockpiling for GMS and a neutral foodservice spending attitude drove cautious buying for GMS, with no direct substitutes for GMS. Offerings in the market stayed steady, with GMS imports from both Malaysia and China commanding the majority of share. The relief of Pacific Ocean freight and fluidity of Pacific coastal ports (free of congestion/demurrage) allowed for timely delivery, and sizeable stocks of distributor across Los Angeles/Houston were helpful in moving GMS. Domestic biodiesel glycerols contributed to the demand, however the quantity of esterified product was limited, it sustained GMS imports in a balanced demand-supply situation, even though the product was widely available albeit with diminishing demand.
A decrease in Malaysian crude palm oil (CPO) and stearic acid prices pushed Southeast Asian exporters to cut their offers, while a decline in Trans-Pacific freight rates further trimmed landed costs. Year-end destocking in food and beverage and Prop-65 transitions (Prop-65 transitions refer to the evolving compliance, labeling, and risk management businesses) in personal care led to hand-to-mouth purchasing, while ample biodiesel glycerol limited volatility in the market.
In the first month of the last quarter of 2025, prices in GMS CFR Los Angeles held firm at an average of USD 1,426 per MT, dropping cumulatively by 1.72% in one month on the back of lower feedstock and freight cost.
Following the ChemAnalyst expectation, the U.S. GMS market is likely to be neutral to soft till December 2025 with typical year-end caution along with good imports, which should help in mildly pulling down the prices barring any sudden rise in feedstock. Tricky Some uplift could be brought in by RSPO-certified transitions as well as the festive-season restocks, but variables such as palm oil and freight trends need to be observed to avoid imbalance in supply fundamentals.
