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&#**; ***,*** 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 **-***, 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 USD*,***/MT FOB Charleston throughout October ****, despite the closure at DAK Americas LLC’s Cape Fear plant (**,*** tons/month) that took effect on October *. 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 ***,*** tons/year (** of the US PTA capacity) out of the market. Analysts predicted regional shortages for PTA, but there...
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