POM Market Intelligence Report (May 20–27, 2026)

I. Price Trends
1. East China Market (Yuyao/Shanghai)
- Yuntianhua M90: Quoted at RMB 13,800/ton on May 14; cash-and-carry price in Dongguan dropped to RMB 11,100–11,700/ton on May 25—representing a cumulative decline of approximately 16%–20%.
- Shenhua Ningmei MC90: Quoted at RMB 14,100/ton on May 7; Shanghai market quotation fell to RMB 11,800/ton on May 22—a decline of ~16%.
- Premium Grades: DuPont (USA) 100P rose from RMB 43,500/ton (Ningbo) to RMB 46,500/ton (Shanghai), up 7%; DowDuPont 500CL remained stable at the high level of RMB 58,000/ton.

2. South China Market (Dongguan)
- Yuntianhua M90: Quoted at RMB 11,300/ton on May 21; further declined to RMB 11,100/ton on May 25—short-term drop of RMB 200–400/ton.
- Yuntianhua GM90: Cash-and-carry price stood at RMB 10,800/ton on May 25, down RMB 400/ton from May 21.

II. Market Drivers
1. Supply Side
- Yankuang Luhua Plant Maintenance: Both Phase I and Phase II POM units were shut down during the week beginning May 18, causing regional supply tightening—but failing to reverse the overall weak market trend.
- Import Pressure: Imported grades from Korean engineering plastics producers and U.S.-based Celanese (formerly Ticona) continued pricing downward (e.g., TS-22H glass-fiber reinforced grade quoted at RMB 21.5/kg), squeezing market space for domestic materials.

2. Demand Side
- Cautious Downstream Procurement: Industries such as home appliances and automotive components strongly resisted high raw material prices, adopting strictly demand-driven procurement strategies; trading companies faced mounting inventory pressure.
- Substitution Competition: Engineering plastics including ABS and PA remained at low price levels, displacing POM in certain application segments—further weakening POM demand.

3. Cost Side
- Stable Methanol Prices: Methanol prices in Chongqing held steady at RMB 2,830–2,870/ton, offering limited cost support for POM.
- Active Recycled Material Market: Companies such as Guangdong Kingfa and Dongguan Xinyun expanded customized modification of recycled sprue materials, capturing market share at prices 10%–20% lower than virgin material—intensifying price competition.

III. Regional Analysis
1. East China Market
- Resilience of Premium Grades: Imported materials from DuPont (USA) and DowDuPont maintained high prices due to technological barriers and brand premiums—widening the price gap with domestic materials to over threefold.
- Domestic Material Under Pressure: Domestic grades from Yuntianhua and Shenhua Ningmei faced persistent downward price pressure from imported alternatives; trader discounting widened to RMB 600–900/ton.

2. South China Market
- Leading Price Decline: Dongguan’s Yuntianhua M90 price was over RMB 2,000/ton lower than its East China counterpart—reflecting regional supply-demand imbalance and intense trader liquidation pressure.
- Cash-and-Carry Dominance: Downstream customers preferred cash payment and self-collection, further depressing quotations—with near-term rebound unlikely.

IV. Outlook
1. Short Term (1–2 Weeks)
- Continued Weakness: Amid dual pressures of oversupply and sluggish demand, domestic POM prices may fall further into the RMB 10,500–11,000/ton range; imported grades may adjust downward slightly.
- Widening Regional Divergence: The South China market—burdened by severe inventory overhang—is likely to see larger declines than East China; premium grades, backed by technical barriers, will exhibit relatively muted volatility.

2. Medium Term (1–3 Months)
- Maintenance Season Support: If domestic POM facilities undergo concentrated maintenance in June–July, supply tightening could drive modest price recovery—though upside remains constrained.
- Persistent Recycled-Material Pressure: Guangdong Kingfa, Dongguan Xinyun, and others are expanding recycled-material production capacity, potentially eroding virgin-material market share further.

3. Long Term (6+ Months)
- Cost-Driven Dynamics: An upward move in methanol and other feedstock prices would strengthen cost support and lift the POM price center; conversely, falling crude oil prices would ease cost pressure and weigh on prices.
- Policy Impact: Stricter environmental regulations may boost demand for recycled materials—but narrowing price differentials between virgin and recycled materials would limit the downside for virgin POM.