PTA Leads Gains, Acrylonitrile Falls: Worsening Price Divergence in Textile Raw Materials Signals Profit Reallocation

PTA surged 2.25% while acrylonitrile plunged 4.20% in the 27th week of 2026, widening the price gap between the two key textile raw materials. This is not an isolated fluctuation but a clear signal of the intensifying contradiction between upstream cost pass-through and weak downstream demand.

Chemical Fiber Sector: PTA Rebounds Strongly, Polyester Filament Lags Behind

According to China Customs and industry public data, PTA prices rose from 5,780.66 yuan/ton to 5,910.50 yuan/ton during July 6-10, 2026, a weekly gain of 2.25% and a year-on-year increase of 21.80%. The rally was supported by firm upstream PX costs and supply tightening expectations from planned maintenance. However, downstream polyester filament did not follow suit: polyester FDY fell 1.68%, polyester DTY dropped 1.28%, and polyester POY declined 0.77%. This "raw material up, finished product down" scenario means polyester filament producers are seeing their margins squeezed from both sides. Polyester staple fiber performed more steadily, rising 0.95% week-on-week and 9.43% year-on-year, indicating resilient demand from nonwovens and filling materials. Polyester yarn prices remained flat, suggesting limited ability of spinning mills to absorb raw material cost increases.

Acrylonitrile Leads Losses: Oversupply Intensifies, Destocking Cycle May Begin

Acrylonitrile posted the biggest weekly drop at 4.20%, falling from 9,533.33 yuan/ton to 9,133.33 yuan/ton. Despite a year-on-year increase of 15.61%, the sharp short-term decline has drawn market attention. Downstream sectors such as acrylic fiber, ABS resin, and carbon fiber are experiencing weak demand, with ABS plant operating rates remaining low and acrylic fiber demand dampened by sluggish apparel consumption. This suggests that acrylonitrile's decline is not an isolated event but a microcosm of broader chemical demand weakness.

Cotton and Nylon: Natural Fibers Under Pressure, Nylon Chain Weakening

In the cotton segment, cotton yarn 32S and 21S edged up 0.61% and 0.28% respectively, but raw cotton fell 0.92%, with its year-on-year gain narrowing to 16.48%. The divergence between cotton and cotton yarn indicates that cotton mills are struggling with both inventory depreciation and limited pricing power. Viscose staple fiber and spandex prices were flat, suggesting that chemical fiber substitution effects remain in place and natural fiber demand lacks elasticity. The nylon chain showed a broad decline: nylon FDY fell 0.31%, nylon DTY fell 0.38%, and nylon POY fell 0.92%. Nylon's weakness is linked to easing caprolactam prices and slowing order growth in sportswear and outdoor products.

Raw Silk Declines Alone: A Warning Sign for High-End Textile Demand

Raw silk prices edged down 0.07%, but its year-on-year decline reached 10.07%, making it the only monitored variety to show a significant annual drop. Raw silk primarily feeds high-end silk fabrics and luxury markets, and its persistent weakness suggests that high-consumption sectors are recovering more slowly than expected, putting pressure on export-oriented silk industry clusters.

Practical Recommendations

For Buyers - With PTA strong but polyester filament struggling to follow, prioritize short-term and urgent orders for polyester raw materials to avoid building long-term inventory at high prices. - Given the rapid decline in acrylonitrile, consider waiting for destocking signals before replenishing, but remain alert to potential sharp rebounds. - As cotton yarn edges up while cotton falls, cotton mills should prioritize consuming existing cotton inventories and reduce new purchases.

For Exporters - For polyester filament export contracts, consider including price adjustment clauses to address the inversion between raw material and finished product prices. - Raw silk and silk fabric exporters should monitor high-end market consumption data and adjust product mix, increasing the share of mid-range blended products. - For nylon orders, consider moderate price concessions to maintain customer relationships, but control credit terms to avoid excessive accounts receivable.