For the Quarter Ending March 2025
North America
In Q1 2025, the U.S. Acetonitrile market exhibited a firm to slightly bullish trend, driven by consistent demand from downstream sectors, particularly pharmaceuticals and chemical processing.
Prices moved upward through the quarter, supported by balanced supply-demand dynamics, stable production rates, and heightened procurement activity. Suppliers responded to tightening supply conditions and labor-related challenges by sustaining higher selling prices to protect margins. Strong overseas inquiries and improved domestic consumption contributed to steady export momentum, while operational stability among manufacturers ensured uninterrupted availability.
The market also benefited from a supportive economic environment, including healthy manufacturing activity and favorable trade conditions. Although production costs remained manageable due to steady feedstock trends, inflationary concerns and currency fluctuations encouraged preemptive pricing strategies. The resumption of operations at a major production facility further stabilized supply mid-quarter, easing earlier constraints. Traders remained optimistic, driven by active restocking efforts and limited inventory accumulation.
Overall, the U.S. Acetonitrile market in the first quarter maintained positive sentiment, underpinned by solid end-user demand, stable output, and a cautiously bullish outlook supported by both domestic and global market factors.
Asia Pacific
In Q1 2025, the South Korean acetonitrile market witnessed a notable recovery at the start of the year, supported by improved global demand and tightened supply dynamics. January saw export prices climbing steadily, driven by stable production rates, rising feedstock costs, and active buying interest from the pharmaceutical and agricultural sectors. Positive trading sentiments, along with stronger overseas demand and currency fluctuations, further reinforced market firmness. By mid-February, prices remained on an upward path, bolstered by global supply constraints and a temporary production disruption at major petrochemical complexes in South Korea. However, this momentum weakened in early March as the market turned bearish amid oversupplied conditions and muted demand. Despite rising feedstock costs, producers refrained from passing on the burden to maintain competitiveness, while buyers adopted a cautious approach due to limited downstream activity. Overall, the quarter was marked by a sharp early rebound, followed by a correction phase, reflecting a market shaped by volatile supply-demand dynamics, operational disruptions, and strategic positioning by stakeholders.
Europe
The Belgian Acetonitrile market in Q1 2025 showcased a dynamic shift from early strength to a more subdued close. January opened with strong demand from key downstream sectors, supported by healthy trading activity and favorable currency dynamics. Suppliers capitalized on this momentum by raising prices, encouraged by active inquiries and balanced inventory levels. However, February brought a clear market reversal, driven by weakening demand from major end-user industries such as pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. At the same time, improved supply availability and easing logistics reduced cost pressures and increased competition, prompting sellers to lower prices. As the quarter progressed, sentiment remained weak due to delayed purchasing decisions, with many buyers anticipating further declines. By March, consistent destocking efforts and continued macroeconomic challenges, including inflation and a broader industrial slowdown, reinforced bearish market conditions. Although the strengthening euro improved import affordability, it did little to revive trading enthusiasm. The market ultimately settled into a buyer-friendly environment marked by cautious procurement and overall low transaction volumes.
For the Quarter Ending December 2024
North America
The Acetonitrile market in North America experienced a volatile trajectory during the fourth quarter of 2024. Starting in October, export prices saw continued increases driven by a combination of elevated freight charges, higher acetic acid prices, and persistent demand from downstream sectors. These factors contributed to tighter supply chains and higher production costs, benefiting suppliers with enhanced margins.
Despite a slight decrease in U.S. manufacturing activity, reflected by a PMI contraction and rising inflationary pressures, the market remained buoyant due to strong consumption from pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. A major disruption, such as an explosion at a key production facility, further strained supply, while logistical challenges persisted, especially at U.S. ports. By November, the market began to show signs of softening as demand weakened, leading to declining prices and subdued trading activity.
However, as the year closed, Acetonitrile prices surged again in early December due to a rebound in downstream demand, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, coupled with logistical disruptions and a favorable U.S. dollar exchange rate. In January 2025, prices remained elevated as export demand persisted, fuelled by ongoing global shortages and trade policy uncertainties, with the market exhibiting structural rather than seasonal price increases. Traders capitalized on the higher pricing environment, adjusting their procurement and sales strategies in response to continued inflationary pressures, manufacturing constraints, and a shift in U.S. trade policies. Despite rising input costs and global supply chain challenges, the U.S. Acetonitrile market showed resilience, with sustained export volumes and consistent demand from key industries, particularly pharmaceuticals, underpinning a robust pricing structure.
Asia Pacific
In the fourth quarter of 2024, acetonitrile export prices from East Asia, particularly Japan, exhibited an upward trend for acetonitrile with a modest drop witnessed in December 2024. Starting with October, prices initially rose due to supply constraints from production disruptions, feedstock shortages, and rising freight costs, while strong demand from the pharmaceutical, electronics, and specialty chemicals sectors contributed to upward pressure. However, by the end of October, prices declined slightly due to weak demand from end-users, the depreciation of the Japanese yen, and ample supply from major producers. In November, export prices remained high following the previous month’s trajectory as production disruptions and logistical challenges limited supply, while demand remained strong across key sectors. However, December saw a downward shift in prices due to persistent oversupply conditions and weakened downstream demand. High inventory levels and moderate feedstock costs, particularly acetic acid, contributed to the subdued pricing environment. Overall, the market exhibited a bearish sentiment, with prices steadily decreasing by the end of December, reflecting oversupply and weak demand across key sectors.
Europe
During the entire Q4 2024, Belgium's acetonitrile market saw consistent price increases, fueled by global competition, strong downstream demand, and supply-side limitations. Demand from the pharmaceutical and solvent sectors drove heightened activity, with stockpiling efforts in anticipation of potential shortages. The weakening of the Euro against the US dollar further raised import costs, while rising feedstock prices supported the upward price trend. In October, Belgium faced tight supply conditions, limited inventories, and disruptions in global production, particularly from key Asian suppliers, exacerbated by logistical issues. Demand from neighboring regions also supported higher prices. Increased freight costs and a weaker Euro further escalated import costs, dampening procurement activities. However, continued supply constraints kept prices elevated, with pharmaceutical and industrial demand maintaining its strength. As a result throughout the quarter, the Belgian market remained seller-driven, as suppliers adjusted prices to align with global benchmarks. By December, ongoing export demand and logistical constraints kept prices high, with suppliers managing inventory levels to support market stability. The quarter closed with tight market conditions and sustained high prices.
For the Quarter Ending September 2024
North America
Moving forward towards the third quarter of 2024, the Acetonitrile market in North America experienced a challenging period marked by overall decreasing prices with a modest rise witnessed only in the middle of the quarter.
For the entire quarter, the pricing environment was predominantly negative, with a focus on destocking, reduced demand, and lower production costs. The inventory level among the trades remained more than sufficient and the decline in raw material prices had a certain positive impact on the downstream market in terms of production, supporting the market suppliers in terms of trading sentiments. While, many traders adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards market resources, and most traders were still cautious in their purchasing pace. As there had also been no significant increase or decrease in demand, market prices had not been greatly impacted with overall market trading sentiments leaning on the southerly side. However, in the middle of the quarter, the U.S. Acetonitrile market demonstrated stability, with a slight improvement in overseas demand. This trend was bolstered by rising feed material prices and escalating freight costs. Factories collectively raised their listing prices, and traders maintained a positive price trajectory. Downstream and overseas market purchasing focused on large orders, with significant involvement from intermediate traders. Lastly, the market stocks gradually depleted as they met downstream demand, particularly in the pharmaceutical, and other solvent sectors.
Overall, the USA witnessed the most substantial price changes, the market exhibited consistent downward movements. The market saw an overall average of more than 2% decrease compared to the same quarter from the previous quarter in 2024. This culminated in the quarter-ending price of USD 2165/MT for Acetonitrile pharma Grade FOB Texas in the USA, reflecting the overall decreasing sentiment in the market.
Asia Pacific
Across the Asian Pacific region, during the entire third quarter of 2024, the Acetonitrile market witnessed a notable increase in prices with a modest decline in the beginning, driven by a complex interplay of supply and demand dynamics. Overall, factors including the continuous arrival of overseas inquiries, robust downstream industry utilization, and increased production costs along with elevated freight charges contributed to an upward price trend. In Japan particularly, the market experienced the most significant price changes, reflecting overall trends seen in the region. However, seasonality and correlation in price changes were evident, with a -1% decrease from the previous quarter in 2024. While the market trading sentiments persisted on the northerly side throughout the entire three months. Furthermore, Japan's position as a major exporter within the Asian market, which holds significant influence over both domestic and international acetonitrile supply chains, further solidified its competitive edge over European and North American regions. Market participants observed a persistent increase in demand across regional and overseas markets. This heightened demand, coupled with escalating freight costs for both truck and rail transport, exerted additional upward pressure on export prices. Overall, the Industry insiders remained optimistic about the market's future trajectory, particularly in light of ongoing strong transaction volumes and increasing market demand, driven by higher price quotations from overseas markets. However, the market witnessed a slight resiliency at the beginning of the quarter where the supply side considerably outpaced the overall demand side. High acetonitrile inventories at that time, led traders to offer discounts to stimulate transactions, indicating an oversupply relative to current demand. While, in the meantime, manufacturers were actively focused on reducing their production for newer batches instead were constantly indulging in destocking sentiments with the supply side outspacing the overall demand side. Overall with an optimistic trajectory, the latest quarter-ending price in Japan stood at USD 1515/MT of Acetonitrile FOB Tokyo, underscoring the overall positive pricing environment in the region.
Europe
In Q3 2024, the European Acetonitrile market experienced stable pricing, marked by an overall downward trend. This stability was influenced by steady demand from the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors and a balanced supply. Global economic conditions, currency fluctuations, and the broader industrial landscape also played a role. Belgium, in particular, saw notable price fluctuations reflecting regional trends, with a -4% drop from the previous quarter. Market experts noted that prices had declined significantly until mid-Q3, driven by global supply chain adjustments and local market factors. Asian producers benefited from lower production costs, offering more competitive pricing due to improved operational efficiency, better raw material access, and resolved supply chain issues from earlier periods. In Europe, companies reduced stockpiles to lower storage costs and prevent product degradation. The euro’s appreciation against the U.S. dollar further benefited buyers by making imports more affordable. However, by late September 2024, the market had seen a significant uptick in regional inquiries, leading to rising Acetonitrile import prices in Belgium. Factory inventories remained low due to ongoing shipments, and the market maintained operations despite upstream fluctuations. While manufacturers kept prices high, the trading atmosphere remained optimistic, with transactions trending positively and import capacity staying strong. Downstream demand had shown signs of improvement, driven primarily by long-term contracts. The short-term outlook indicated continued market consolidation with range-bound activity. Overall, the quarter ended with Acetonitrile Industrial Grade priced at USD 1630/MT CFR Anterwep for pharma grade in Belgium, reflecting the overall stable pricing sentiment in the region.
For the Quarter Ending June 2024
North America
In Q2 2024, the North American Acetonitrile market experienced a predominantly downward pricing trend, influenced by various market forces and external factors. The quarter began with a decline in prices, primarily due to decreased demand from key downstream industries, notably pharmaceuticals and solvent sectors. April saw a contraction in US manufacturing activity, reversing the brief expansion of the previous month and marking the end of 16 consecutive months of decline. The Manufacturing PMI dropped to 49.2%, down 1.1 percentage points from March's 50.3%. Manufacturers reduced purchasing activities in response to declining new orders, reflecting heightened client caution and reluctance to make new business commitments. Despite this, production levels saw a slight increase due to the reduction of work backlogs.
Rising operational costs, including higher energy prices and increased feedstock expenses (particularly for acetic acid), contributed to elevated production costs. This prompted manufacturers to curtail new production, focusing instead on destocking and strategic inventory management in anticipation of demand fluctuations. The pricing trend in the USA continued to be affected by demand-supply dynamics, geopolitical factors, and market sentiments throughout the quarter.
However, mid-quarter saw some stabilization with a steady rise in end-user inquiries. Factories collectively raised their listing prices, with traders consistently pushing for higher export prices. These dynamics led to persistent market supply pressure, with prices trending upwards within a narrow range. This pricing landscape reflects the complex interplay of economic indicators, industry-specific factors, and broader market trends affecting the Acetonitrile market in North America during Q2 2024.
Asia Pacific
During Q2 2024, the APAC Acetonitrile market experienced an overall weakening trend, influenced by various factors contributing to market pessimism. April 2024 saw a downward trend due to a supply-demand imbalance across the global market, prompting local players to adjust profit margins. This created arbitrage opportunities for international buyers. Surplus inventory levels, especially in downstream industries, led suppliers to offer discounts for bulk purchases to avoid storage costs and stimulate demand. While with rising raw material costs (particularly acetic acid) increasing production expenses, merchants resisted procurement, supporting the downward trend. while moving forward in May 2024, the industry experienced a steady rise in inquiries arriving from the downstream pharmaceuticals and solvents sectors. Moreover, inventories possessed by the merchants remained highly sufficient balancing may’s supply-demand outlook. Continuous growth in manufacturing sentiment, albeit at a moderated pace, as market participants strategically focused on depleting existing inventories before engaging in new procurements. This strategic approach, coupled with the onset of long-term contract signings across importing nations, resulted in a surge in trade volume and reinforced market stability and the inventory management. Furthermore, on the feedstock market side, cost support from higher acetic acid prices kept the overall production cost elevated, supporting the higher prices of Acetonitrile for newer procurements. Lastly, June commenced with another downward trend. Chinese Acetonitrile supply rose relative to end-user inquiries, dampening the trading atmosphere. Traders offloaded goods at lower costs. Higher upstream crude oil and acetic acid prices increased production costs. Persistent transportation and logistics challenges, such as labor shortages and backlogs, have added pressure on traders as inquiries from the international market with already placed orders dropped.
Contrariwise to this was the market trend witnessed for Japan, the Japanese Acetonitrile market demonstrated an overall optimistic trend throughout Q2 2024, with a steady drop only at the quarter's end. The market reflected nuanced trends and seasonality impacts. April 2024 saw high export prices due to rising regional and overseas demand. At the same time, ongoing spring festival period additionally introduced slight supply chain disruptions, affecting market sentiments and leading to heightened pre-stocking activities, with prices rising consistently. This trend persisted until mid-quarter which was further influenced by higher global freight charges due to the Red Sea dispute, container shortages, and increased fuel costs. While, towards the quarter's end, prices dropped steadily, supported by weaker-than-anticipated end-user inquiries. Despite increased enthusiasm for downstream purchases since March, overall engagement remained low, prompting factories to lower prices. Sluggish downstream consumption and weak demand contributes to declining acetic acid prices, further impacting Acetonitrile production sentiments. On the trading side, inventory levels among market players remained sufficient, balancing June's demand and market transactions. As a result the overall quarter concluded with price stability, reflecting a balanced market environment driven by controlled supply-demand dynamics. This stable sentiment throughout Q2 2024 indicated a positive and predictable pricing environment, allowing stakeholders to navigate the market with confidence.
Europe
The second quarter of 2024 has been a tumultuous period for the acetonitrile market in Europe, marked by a complex interplay of macroeconomic and industry-specific factors. Rising freight charges, increasing natural gas costs, and geopolitical disruptions have collectively created a challenging trading environment. The depreciation of the euro against the US dollar has heightened cost pressures for importers, while abundant supply and weak downstream demand have exerted downward pressure on prices. This period has been characterized by a cautious approach from buyers, who have been reluctant to procure at higher costs due to inflationary pressures and a global economic slowdown. Throughout the quarter, regarding the supply aspect, analysts noted sufficient inventories, indicating a trend of gradual stabilization coupled with a significant reduction in end-user demand. Additionally, Acetonitrile exports displayed resilience due to the steady drop in freight charges, making imports more cost-effective for downstream buyers and neighboring nations. However, with weakened inquiries arriving in the nations, production momentum across the region witnessed a steady drop as suppliers were focused on clearing their pre-stocked-up inventories first during April. This trend continued until the final weeks of June with supply side being sufficiently enough balancing the overall demand side. However, as steady upward trend was witnessed in the middle of the quarter.
