January for oxalic acid CFR Los Angeles moved higher as import activity and origin cost pressures supported landed offers. Chinese FOB quotes rose to cover coal-based power surcharges, lifting the starting point for CFR negotiations. Mid-month, U.S. buyers replenished coastal inventories ahead of the Lunar New Year shipping lull, boosting spot enquiries. Late-month relief in container rates provided partial cost relief but did not reverse the bullish tone, leaving the market directionally firmer into month-end. Demand drivers underpinned the upturn: wet-process and high-purity oxalic acid needs from semiconductor and technology users remained a key support, while metal-finishing and rare-earth leaching outlets stayed steady; pharmaceutical-intermediate demand was seasonally softer and offered limited offset. Distributors rebuilt working stocks after year-end destocking, sustaining upward pressure. Supply factors remained decisive for landed values of oxalic acid, as origin offers stayed elevated due to power-surcharge costs. The near-term outlook suggests modest gains early with intermittent softening later, subject to Lunar New Year logistics and restocking dynamics.
