US liquid chlorine markets tightened in January 2026 as seasonal restocking and winter consumption outpaced constrained merchant availability. Early-month procurement activity rose as downstream buyers replenished inventories ahead of Lunar New Year, while mid-month buying by PVC, epoxy chlorohydrin and water-treatment users tightened spot supplies. Weather- and power-related production interruptions and a force majeure further reduced physical availability, with port congestion adding import frictions. The net effect was a firmer market tone for contract volumes and merchant activity. Demand remained solid across segments: vinyls/PVC drove uptake as producers ran near nameplate capacity to fulfill pipe and profile orders; water-treatment formulators accelerated purchases ahead of municipal disinfection peaks; epoxy chlorohydrin producers increased offtake to cover coatings demand. Pool-chemical buying offered modest support. Looking ahead, a mixed near-term outlook is expected: pockets of price strength in February and March tied to seasonal demand, with potential softening later as pipeline flows ease, though disruptions could persist.
