Modified pc/abs weekly international market analysis: Regional Supply Diverges, Overseas Prices Firm With Narrow Fluctuations

During this period (July 3 - July 9), the international market for modified PC/ABS was monitored based on overseas facility operations, import and export supplies, import costs, and the price differences between domestic and international markets. There was a noticeable divergence in operations between the two core production regions of Southeast Asia and Taiwan, with overseas import supplies being limited in specifications and prices showing a steady upward trend.

Modified PC/ABS producers in the Malay Archipelago of Southeast Asia are constrained by the high procurement costs of upstream virgin PC and ABS raw materials, with average plant operating rates maintained at 52%–60%. Persistently elevated raw material costs have squeezed production margins, prompting producers to proactively reduce operating rates and control output. Exports to China are limited to a narrow range of industrial-grade modified materials, while supplies of high-end heat-resistant modified alloys remain scarce. In Taiwan, China, major modified alloy plants are running steadily at full capacity and have become the main overseas source of high-end modified materials for the domestic market this week, with prices of cross-border arrivals remaining stable with a slight upward trend.

At the import cost level, sea freight from Taiwan, China to East China ports has edged up slightly. Coupled with the firmer fluctuations in upstream virgin plastic overseas prices, the overall import cost of compounded materials has continued to rise. The price spread between domestic and overseas markets remains inverted, leaving no arbitrage opportunity for standard grades, with only a small amount of procurement demand for high-end electronic-grade materials.

This week, the total domestic capacity under maintenance reached 453,000 tons. Spot market conditions showed significant regional divergence: in East China, spot supply of electronic-grade modified PC/ABS was tight and relied on imports from Taiwan, China for replenishment; in South China, overseas supply of general-grade material was ample, with prices under pressure and fluctuating within a narrow range. Domestically, the pilot trial for Changzhou’s 78,000-ton-per-year integrated high-end modified PC/ABS project has been completed, with commercial operation المتوقع in September, but it will not be able to alleviate the current short-term supply gap of high-end imported material.

Overall, the low operating rates at Southeast Asian facilities and price increases in Taiwanese cargoes have jointly tightened overseas supply. In the short term, overseas modified PC/ABS quotes remain firm, the import arbitrage window remains closed, and traders are mainly drawing down their earlier inventories.

(The data in this article is compiled from publicly available information and is for market reference only, and does not constitute any investment or trading advice.)