Chemical Updates

Asian Acetic Acid/VAM Weekly Commentary / 13-Aug-2026-13-Aug-2026/904 am EST/1304 GMT / Chinese AA operating rates climb to 87% / VAM exports remain tight, supporting prices

Aug 24, 2026

Asian acetic acid (AA) and vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) prices were largely stable Aug. 13, despite weak downstream demand weighing on domestic Chinese prices. assessed FOB China acetic acid unchanged week over week at $395/metric ton, while the East China spot price fell 25 yuan/mt over the same period to 2,865 yuan/mt ex-tank on Aug. 13. Chinese acetic acid producers' operating rates were heard to have risen to 87% Aug. 10, up from 63% a fortnight earlier, as several plants resumed production following maintenance turnarounds. Acetic acid inventories in China increased 14% week over week to around 148,000 mt, according to market estimates. However, traders said inventories remained below typical levels of 180,000-200,000 mt. As a result, export availability remained tight. Market participants said August-loading FOB China cargoes had largely...

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