US PTA prices were unchanged at FOB Charleston in October 2025, despite DAK Americas closing its Cape Fear plant (550,000 t/y) with no plans to reopen on account of economic stresses. Supply tightness was offset by plunging PX/crude charges – Brent went down to USD 63/bbl on US inventory build, Saudi hikes, and seasonal demand dip, softening production by USD 35-40/MT. The Demand for PTA remained sluggish: polyester units operated at 70-75%, weaving at less than 56%, textile at sample order, and finished goods stocks were high (18-20 days). There was no export interest on account of Chinese oversupply and US vPET/rPET tariffs. Port delays (Savannah 4-6 days, Houston curbs) also created friction, but freight dropped, offsetting the effect. As per ChemAnalyst, the November outlook for the PTA market could be rangebound by holiday restock.
Key Takeaways:
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US PTA prices stable at FOB Charleston despite DAK Americas&#xx; xxx,xxx t/y shutdown.
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Feedstock PX/crude decline offset supply loss with lower costs.
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Downstream demand is weak, polyester at xx-xxx, with high inventories.
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Port congestion neutralized by falling freight; PTA outlook rangebound into November.
US Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA) prices held steady at USDx,xxx/MT FOB Charleston throughout October xxxx, despite the closure at DAK Americas LLC’s Cape Fear plant (xx,xxx tons/month) that took effect on October x. ChemAnalyst traders said tight supply resulting from the closure was being fully offset by collapsing feedstock prices and ongoing weak demand from end users, which was anchoring prices in a tight range and preventing any breakout.
The closure at DAK, a result of "market conditions and economic pressures," took xxx,xxx tons/year (xx of the US PTA capacity) out of the market. Analysts predicted regional shortages for PTA, but there...
