Brazil Launches Anti-Dumping Investigation Into Lactic Acid and Its Salts From China

Wanhua Chemical announced that its net profit for the first half of 2026 is expected to be between 9.8 billion and 10.4 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 60.05% to 69.85%. In the first half of 2026, due to the impact of international political factors and geopolitical conflicts, global chemical raw material prices rose sharply. Coupled with changes in supply and demand patterns in certain regions, this drove up the market prices of chemical products, enhancing the profitability of the company's chemical products. Additionally, the company completed the raw material diversification transformation of the ethylene Phase I unit in January, improving the cost competitiveness of its petrochemical segment.

The Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services (Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria, Comércio e Serviços/Secretaria de Comércio Exterior) has released Announcement No. 48 of 2026, initiating an anti-dumping investigation on lactic acid and its salts (Portuguese: ácido láctico e seus sais) originating from China, following a request submitted by the Brazilian company Corbion Produtos Renováveis Ltda. on October 29, 2025. The Mercosur tax code for the products involved is 2918.11.00. The period for the dumping investigation is from July 2024 to June 2025, and the injury investigation period is from July 2020 to June 2025. The announcement takes effect from the date of publication.

In the past year,In recent announcements, four leading chemical companies—Innospec, AmSty, Stepan, and Westlake Chemical—have successively decided to shut down multiple production units. The current round of production halts targets aging production lines that have been in operation for decades and lack integrated upstream and downstream support. Key areas for capacity clearance include polystyrene (PS), PVC, styrene, and surfactants.Industry data shows that.In 2022, the global PS operating rate has fallen below 70%, and institutions predict that the industry's low operating pattern may continue until 2034.CIS also warned that if the Strait of Hormuz remains open to normal navigation, massive volumes of chemical cargoes from the Middle East and Asia will continue to flow into the global market, further worsening the industry’s overcapacity problem.

The China Automotive Power Battery Industry Innovation Alliance Forum has released signals that the domestic power battery installed capacity is expected to reach 888.7 GWh by 2026. The industry is bidding farewell to the era of comprehensive growth and entering a period of structural optimization and transformation. The demand growth rate for new energy passenger vehicle batteries has slowed to 10.8%, while the demand for commercial vehicle batteries has surged by 34.7%, becoming the core driving force. Capacity utilization rates are polarizing, with lagging capacities accelerating exit, and demand for high energy density batteries warming up. Leading enterprises are focusing on breakthroughs in new materials such as silicon-based anodes and solid-state electrolytes, as well as overseas capacity deployment.

On July 2, GAC Toyota’s 10 millionth mass-produced vehicle officially rolled off the production line at its Nansha plant in Guangzhou. The model was the all-electric sedan bZ7.GAC Toyota has become another domestic automaker with a cumulative total. Joint venture automaker surpasses 10 million vehicles. The Bozhi 7 is the second mass-produced model under GAC Toyota’s pure electric exclusive brand Bozhi. It is positioned as a mid-size pure electric sedan, with an official price range of 154,800 to 214,800 yuan. It offers multiple battery range options, including 600 km and 700 km versions, as well as LiDAR intelligent driving features.