Asian dioctyl phthalate (DOP) prices experienced a downward trend observed in December xxxx. The market faced persistent pressure from oversupply and subdued downstream demand, particularly from the PVC sector, which remained in its traditional off-season. Despite fluctuations in raw material costs, the imbalance between supply and demand kept DOP prices under downward pressure across the region.
During December xxxx, the price of key feedstock x-EH (x-ethylhexanol) fell significantly due to an oversupply in the market. The production of x-EH enterprises remained stable throughout December, leading to an increased supply that exceeded downstream demand growth. This oversupply resulted in falling raw material costs for plasticizers, including DOP, pushing prices lower in the Asian market.
However, the decline in DOP prices during December was slower compared to the drop in x-EH prices. Plasticizer manufacturers continued to operate at high rates due to strong profit margins....
