Glyoxylic acid in USA remained flat through mid-February, reflecting balanced demand, easing feedstock costs, with inventories. Early January produced gains that supported a constructive trend, while January to mid-February traded in a range as contractual commitments were fulfilled. By mid-February, week-to-week moves were flat, underscoring a range-bound market. The tone is stable, with pockets of firmer offers but no broad momentum. Demand across end-use sectors is mixed but generally supportive: personal-care formulators continued routine AHA drawdowns. On the supply side, easing upstream costs kept production economics comfortable. Lower nitric acid and glyoxal reduced costs and maintained steady operating rates. Inventory coverage remained adequate after year-end stocking, reducing near-term oversupply risk. Logistics moderated: a slow post-Lunar New Year restart in China trimmed early-month export availability, easing import competition and giving distributors pricing leverage.
Glyoxylic acid prices in the USA were essentially flat into mid-February 2026, as the market balanced steady downstream demand with easing feedstock costs and adequate inventories. Early January saw modest gains that extended a constructive multi-week pattern, while late January and early February traded in a narrow range as suppliers met contractual commitments. By mid-February weekly assessment data indicated a flat week-over-week outcome, underscoring a market that is range-bound rather than directional. Overall, the market tone is one of measured stability with sellers testing firmer offers in pockets but without broad momentum.
Demand across end-use sectors remained mixed but generally supportive. Personal-care formulators continued routine Glyoxylic acid drawdowns for alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) skin-care products, bolstered by company-level growth—Puig reported 7.7% Americas growth for 2025 and Kenvue posted a 3.2% increase in Q4 2025. Flavour and fragrance blenders kept vanillin production stable ahead of spring confectionery runs, supporting normal seasonal volumes, while agrochemical intermediates moved as booked with steady offtake. In contrast, pharmaceutical fine chemicals showed softer dynamics, tracking development campaigns without scale-up, and water treatment remained steady on maintenance dosing, producing predictable but non-expansive demand for Glyoxylic acid.
On the supply side, easing upstream costs have helped keep Glyoxylic acid production economics comfortable. Falls in nitric acid and glyoxal lowered manufacturing expenses and supported steady operating rates, helping Glyoxylic acid suppliers to fulfil shipments without resorting to aggressive discounts. Inventory coverage across the chain remained adequate after Q4 stocking, which removed near-term oversupply risk. Logistics were a moderating factor: a slow post-Lunar-New-Year restart in China constrained early-month Asian export availability, reducing import competition and giving U.S. Glyoxylic acid distributors some pricing leverage. There was no notable domestic plant outages reported that disrupted flows.
Weekly Glyoxylic acid price movements painted a picture of contained gains before flattening into mid-February. Per weekly assessment data, Glyoxylic acid prices edged higher in parts of January and early February as the market absorbed routine offtake and the constructive multi-week trend continued, but these increments were modest and ultimately the series levelled off in mid-February. Inventory adequacy and balanced demand meant volatility remained low, with values trading within a defined band rather than breaking decisively higher or lower.
Looking ahead, the near-term outlook for Glyoxylic acid is mixed through the spring months. ChemAnalyst analysis shows modest upside in some months and small pullbacks in others, reflecting a balance between seasonal pickup in cosmetics and aroma procurement and distributors’ well-stocked positions after Q4 2025. Limited early-month Asian Glyoxylic acid exports may support firmer offers, while continued pressure from feedstock and energy dynamics provides underlying price support.
