The weakening of crude oil support has led to PTA prices following fluctuations in crude oil, and the supply and demand side is gradually shifting towards increasing supply and decreasing demand. The effectiveness of the traditional “Golden September and Silver October” peak season needs further verification. Recently, the domestic PTA spot market has shown a slight decline. As of September 21, the PTA spot benchmark price was 7049 yuan/ton, a decrease of 4.25% from September 17.
On the cost side, in the international crude oil market, and on the spot side, Saudi Aramco sold approximately 60 million barrels of crude oil to Asia through ship to ship transfers, driving the Gulf region’s crude oil exports back to an average of 1-1.5 million barrels per day, effectively filling the export gap caused by pipeline damage at Yanbu Port. The supply of crude oil in the Asian market was adequately guaranteed, which suppressed the spot price of crude oil. On the futures side, the expectation of loose crude oil supply is heating up, and the impact of rising tanker freight rates is basically covered by the increase in supply, putting pressure on crude oil futures prices. As of September 18th, the settlement price of the November WTI crude oil futures contract in the United States was $96.08 per barrel, and the settlement price of the November Brent crude oil futures contract was $103.87 per barrel.
On the supply side, multiple sets of PTA units that underwent early maintenance were restarted, and the industry’s operating rate rose to around 72%. The market’s available supply gradually increased, and the subsequent supply increment continued to be released. Although some individual devices have been temporarily shut down for maintenance, it is difficult to change the overall trend of resuming production. In mid to late September, PTA is highly likely to end destocking and gradually enter the stage of accumulating inventory, suppressing the upward space for prices.
The performance of the demand side falls short of traditional peak season expectations, becoming the main weakness that constrains the market. The operating rate of the downstream polyester industry has fallen to around 74%, and the pressure of losses in bottle chips and short fibers has increased, leading to an increase in production cuts and maintenance. The production of weaving machines in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces has decreased seasonally, and the follow-up of terminal textile orders is weak. Downstream resistance to high priced raw materials is evident, and the willingness to replenish raw materials is cautious. The downward transmission of the industrial chain is hindered, and negative feedback continues to emerge. The expected peak season of Golden September in the market has not yet been fully realized, and downstream enterprises have plans to reduce production before and after the National Day holiday, making it difficult for short-term demand to be significantly boosted.
Looking at the future, analysts believe that in the short term, PTA’s own supply recovery and weak demand will suppress it, but the cost of crude oil PX will support the bottom, so the price will mainly fluctuate within a range. The follow-up focus will be on tracking two major variables: first, changes in international crude oil and PX prices; The second is whether the terminal textile orders can substantially recover and observe whether the polyester production has stopped falling and rebounded. If the demand during peak season continues to fall short of expectations, coupled with the continuous release of supply, there is a risk of PTA price correction; If terminal orders explode beyond expectations, there will be upward price elasticity.
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