Independent Commodity Intelligence Services logo
  • Commodities

    Chemicals

    • Polyethylene
    • Polypropylene
    • Propylene
    • Ethylene
    • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
    • Recycled PET
    • Methanol
    • Base Oils
    • View More

    Energy

    • Gas
    • LNG
    • Crude Oil
    • Carbon
    • Power
    • Ethanol
    • View More

    Fertilizers

    • Sulphur
    • Sulphuric acid
    • View More

    Commodities

    • View all Chemical commodities
    • View all Energy commodities
    • View all Fertilizers commodities
    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • Solutions

    Services

    • ICIS Digital
    • ICIS Analyse & Insight
    • Pricing Intelligence
    • News Service
    • Analytics
    • Recycling & Sustainability
    • Training Courses
    • Conferences

    Bespoke Services

    • Consulting
    • Third Party Platforms

    Your Sector

    • Fast moving consumer goods
    • Plastics Packaging
    • Plastics OEM
    • Paints, coatings and adhesives
    • Pharmaceuticals
    • Rubber products
    • Automotive
    • Financials

    Enquire about ICIS Solutions

    ICIS Reports Glossary

    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • Insights

    View All Resources

    • Latest News
    • Blogs
    • ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX)
    • Chemical Webinars
    • Energy Webinars
    • Chemical Podcasts
    • Energy Podcasts

    Industry updates

    • Explore our Featured Insights
    • Industry Updates Upcoming Webinars
    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • Events

    Events

    • Conferences
    • Training Courses
    • Chemical Webinars & Forums
    • Energy Webinars & Forums
    • Innovation Awards
    • The Chemists’ Club Kavaler Award 2020
    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • ABOUT

    About ICIS

    • Contact Us
    • Compliance & Methodology
    • Work for ICIS
    • ICIS and Chemical Data

    Press Releases

    • ICIS has acquired Chemical Data (CDI)
    • ICIS in the News
    • ICIS at Events

     

    Customer Success Stories

    • Testimonials
    • Enhancing supplier negotiations
    • Keeping up with market dynamics
    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
  • Customer login

    Customer Login

    Supply & Demand Database

    ICIS.com/app

    Contact Client Success on clientsuccess@icis.com
    Contact sales
    Speak to ICIS
Home Commodities Chemicals Terephthalic-acid Terephthalic acid prices, markets & analysis

Terephthalic acid prices, markets & analysis

Speak to ICIS
Jump to section
  • Market Overview
  • How we can help
  • Services
  • Methodology
  • News

Get the latest data, tools and insight for purified terephthalic acid (PTA) with ICIS pricing and market intelligence.

Our short-to-long-term solutions – from pricing, analytics, industry news and supply and demand data –
ensure that you can evaluate PTA markets from every angle.

  • Decide the best time and price to make the most profitable trade
  • Monitor global and regional trade flows, including supply-demand balances
  • Look for arbitrage opportunities
  • Stay informed on breaking industry news that can move the market instantly
  • Be guided in your long-term planning and investment strategies
  • Make more informed production or commercial decisions

Speak to ICIS

Market Overview

Updated to Q4 2020

Asia

Supply in China continued to trend higher amid a relatively constant operating rate, while supply outside of China stayed snug, especially in India. The region saw a total production loss of around 1.34m tonnes due to several shutdowns, with around 138,000 tonnes of PTA production loss coming from unplanned shutdowns.

Demand from China was relatively flat with downstream polyester facilities keeping run rates largely steady. Run rates at polyester facilities during the quarter stood at around 85.4%, compared to 85.9% during the previous quarter. Import demand from India was heathy, amid polyester operating rates being kept at relatively high levels, causing a slight PTA deficit.

Europe

Planned PTA shutdowns at Indorama’s plants in Portugal and the Netherlands took place in October, November and December, but both sites encountered difficulties along the way. A power failure caused a brief, but impactful shutdown of BP Chemicals’ 1.37m tonne/year site in Belgium in early November. Soaring freight costs and the container shortage delayed arrivals from Asia, impacting availability in the Q4 market.

Requirements for PTA into the bottle market reduced as downstream PET shutdowns took place and lockdowns took hold once more. There were moments when demand returned as buyers delved into the PET market for fear of supply restrictions.

US

US PTA supply during the fourth quarter of 2020 was ample due to reduced domestic PET production stemming from a shortage of monoethylene glycol (MEG). Operating rates were adjusted to reduce oversupply. Prices were soft, given the low crude prices that kept feedstock paraxylene values low.

US PTA demand declined early in the fourth quarter of 2020 as an active hurricane season caused damages along the US Gulf Coast resulting in monoethylene glycol (MEG) force majeures that meant reduced PET operating rates. Additionally, one PET plant declared force majeure.

Regional Outlook

Updated to Q1 2021

US

US PTA supply in the first quarter of 2021 is expected to remain sufficient as resin plants return to normal operating rates after a period of monoethylene glycol (MEG) shortage that resulted in reduced PTA production in the previous quarter. Prices may gain momentum as demand from downstream PET resin sector is expected to remain strong.

US PTA demand in the first quarter of 2021 is likely to be strong, supported by sustained robust demand from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for production of face shields, personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as drinks and food packaging. Demand is expected to be strong for as long as the pandemic is not under control.

Speak to ICIS

Strengthen your negotiation power in the PTA market with ICIS pricing data

Speak to ICIS

How we can help

Whether you are buying or selling PTA, ICIS provides you with the right pricing data, analytics, news and market analysis you need to confidently plan and make your trades, as well as shape future strategies and maintain a competitive advantage.

Speak to ICIS

Services

Find out more about our services

Trading, margin and production data

  • Key trading prices: Spot/contract, formula-based spot import/export and domestic for terephthalic acid on a daily and weekly basis
  • terephthalic-acid-img1

  • Price alerts and market updates: Shifts in prices, breaking news, market developments and supply demand trends
  • Plant data: Production and capacity, plant maintenance and shutdowns
  • Feedstock/downstream information: Prices and market commentary on upstream commodities such as naphtha and downstream markets such as polyester fibres and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
  • Weekly market sentiment: Near-term price direction and appetite of buyers and sellers
  • Supply and demand: Analysis of domestic and international supply and demand

Speak to ICIS

PTA price assessments

ICIS publishes daily and weekly pricing reports for PTA to help you keep track of trading prices, understand price drivers/fluctuations and set a benchmark for contract price settlements. Information covered in our price reports includes:

Asia

  • CFR China, CFR China Main Ports, CFR India Main ports Export
  • FOB Asia, FOB NE Asia main Ports Export
  • DEL Taiwan, DEL China
  • Ex-Warehouse China E

Europe

  • FWD NWE

Speak to ICIS

Terephthalic analytics

Each ICIS PTA pricing subscription comes with analytics tools that take away the hassle of developing your own analysis. Quickly access data such as:

  • Margin Analytics – Get actionable variable cost margins by feedstock/process type and location, with analyst insight

Request a free demo now

Industry News

ICIS brings you breaking chemical news as it happens – including market moves, analysis, data and more. The service is reliable, authoritative and always available when you need it most.

Stay on top of terephthalic acid (PTA) markets across all regions with ICIS news.

  • Market news, data and analysis
  • A global perspective from our worldwide network of reporters
  • China-PTA

  • Comprehensive coverage, including emerging markets
  • Current and upcoming plants and projects
  • Regional expertise giving you superior market insight
  • Advanced customisation and email alerts
  • Access to 900,000 articles and over 10 years of news archives

Speak to ICIS

Terephthalic supply and demand data

Get a long-term view of the market with the ICIS Supply and Demand Data Service, which offers end-to-end perspectives of the PTA markets.

Gain quick access to data on import and export volumes, plant capacities, production, product trade flows, companies and route. With historical data from 1978 and forecasts available up to 2040, this powerful data and analytics service from ICIS helps senior management, strategists, business planners, regional-trade-flow-ptaanalysts and risk managers to:

  • Identify, evaluate and optimise opportunities
  • Identify and manage financial or investment risks
  • Validate commercial and growth strategies

Request a free demo now

Consulting service

Working closely with you to understand your strategies, challenges and ambitions, the consulting team at ICIS delivers tailored advice and solutions to suit your unique requirements. With many years of experience in guiding business leadership teams, we show you how market conditions can make a positive or negative impact on your long-term plans.

  • Budgeting and forecasting
  • Strategic planning
  • Market advisory
  • Cost and value modelling

Speak to us to find out more

Methodology

Our Pricing Methodology: ICIS price assessments are based on information gathered from a wide cross-section of the market, comprising consumers, producers, traders and distributors from more than 250 reporters worldwide. Confirmed deals, verified by both buyers and sellers, provide the foundation of our price assessments.

Interested to find out how we derive our prices? Find out more about our PTA methodology coverage here

Global Coverage

Our locally based experts provide in-depth regional price reports into specific chemical markets.

Trusted

Our benchmark prices have been trusted by buyers and sellers around the globe for nearly 40 years.

Relevant, Timely Information

Choose ICIS for concise information and easy-to-access formatting, all delivered straight to your inbox.

Innovative Insights

Make better business decisions by using our powerful analytics tools to gain a 360-degree view in today’s ethylene glycol markets.

Speak to ICIS

Naphtha

PET, Polyester

News

PODCAST: Suez Canal blockage adds insult to injury for chemical markets already star
Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:30

BARCELONA (ICIS)--The closure of the Suez Canal is heaping further pressure on chemical supply chains which are already suffering from product shortages amid strong demand. Suez blockage adds to...

Read
India’s HPL plans oil-to-chemical project at site of defunct NOCL refinery
Mon, 22 Mar 2021 05:14

MUMBAI (ICIS)--India’s Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) has received approval from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to take over and revive the defunct oil refinery project of Nagarjuna Oil...

Read
Origin offers price stability for wood-based PX
Mon, 15 Mar 2021 19:23

NEW YORK (ICIS)--US-based start-up Origin Materials can offer customers stable pricing for a key portion of the polyethylene (PET) value chain, its co-CEO said. Origin Materials’s process uses pulp...

Read
Thailand's IVL swings to Q4 net profit; eyes better demand in 2021
Thu, 25 Feb 2021 07:35

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Thailand-listed Indorama Ventures Ltd (Ltd) expects demand recovery for its products to continue this year after it swung to a net profit of Thai baht (Bt) 1.61bn ($54m) in the...

Read
Independent Commodity Intelligence Services logo
  • ABOUT
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Compliance
  • Work for ICIS
  • ICIS Reports Glossary
  • SERVICES
  • Market Intelligence
  • Analytics
  • Specialist services
  • ICIS Insight
  • USEFUL LINKS
  • Free market updates
  • Blogs
  • Students
  • Find your commodity
  • ICIS Publishing Schedule
  • Press Releases
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Notice (California)

ICIS is part of the LexisNexis® Risk Solutions Group portfolio of brands.

Copyright © 2021 LexisNexis Risk Solutions Group

RELX Logo
We use cookies to improve the performance of our site, to analyse the traffic to our site, and to personalise your experience of the site. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Please find more information on the cookies used on our site here