Organic Chemicals Showed Different Price Change     

Phenol   

In early August 2007, China's phenol price remained bullish. With the increase of imported goods and the restart of phenol/acetone unit in Harbin Branch Company of BlueStar New Chemical Materials Co., Ltd., the market supply increased and the price of phenol came down.
   As of August 28th, 2007 the bulk trading price of phenol was at RMB15 800/t in the ports of eastern China, a drop of RMB150/t from a month before, and in other regions of China, the prices decreased RMB200-400/t to RMB15 800-16 200/t.
   Due to the cost pressure caused by the high price of phenol, downstream plants will have little enthusiasm for purchase, and the demand for phenol in downstream sectors will shrink, so the price may drop slightly.

Acetone
In August 2007, the prices of acetone changed differently by regions with fewer trading actions. In eastern China, due to the cost increase of imports, the price of acetone increased, and in southern China, the price of acetone dropped considerably in response to the slack demand.
   As of August 28th, 2007 acetone was traded at RMB8 970/t in the ports of eastern China, an increase of RMB70/t over in the preceding month, and in southern China, the bulk trading prices dropped RMB100/t to RMB9 100/t.
   Due to the growing demand for acetone in downstream sectors, China's acetone price will probably rise slightly.

Methanol
China's methanol price continued to increase from mid-July 2007 to mid-August 2007.  Due to the soft demand in domestic market, the price dropped transitorily after mid-August. However, at the end of August, the price of methanol rebounded again, and continued to rise in early September.
   In mid- September, due to the unduly price rise of methanol, the cost pressure of downstream users was heavier, and there was little enthusiasm for purchase in downstream plants, the prices of methanol began to decrease. In eastern China and northern China, the ex-work prices of methanol dropped to RMB2 900-2970/t and RMB2 900-2 950/t respectively.
   The supply of methanol will be tense, but the demand for methanol will be slack, and the price therefore will hover at present level.

Acetic acid
From mid-August 2007 to mid-September 2007, due to the tense supply, the price of acetic acid in China has increased constantly.
  In mid-September 2007, the prices of acetic acid in eastern China and southern China increased to RMB6 400-6 450/t and RMB6 400-6 500/t respectively.
  The demand for acetic acid in downstream sectors will be brisk, but the growing price of acetic acid will be restricted due to the stable offer prices in most acetic acid producers, so the price will probably be stable.