In the last week of August 2026, the textile raw material market showed a rare 'fire and ice' divergence: polyester filament yarn prices rose collectively, with POY up 2% weekly, while acrylonitrile plunged 4.46% and PTA fell 3.67%. This divergence is not accidental but a resonance of upstream and downstream supply-demand logic, offering direct reference for textile enterprises' purchasing and pricing strategies in the second half of the year.
Event Background
Monitoring data show that from August 24 to 28, the polyester filament yarn chain performed strongly, with POY, DTY, and FDY rising 2.00%, 1.76%, and 1.70% respectively, all with year-on-year gains exceeding 21%. Meanwhile, nylon series also strengthened moderately, with DTY, POY, and FDY up between 0.29% and 0.97%. In contrast, acrylonitrile led declines at 4.46%, followed by PTA at 3.67%, and polyester staple fiber fell 0.96%. The overall average change in the textile sector was only 0.03%, but structural divergence far exceeded the headline figure.
Notably, raw silk rose 0.85% monthly but still fell 9.16% year-on-year, indicating the sericulture industry has yet to emerge from its trough. Viscose yarn and staple fiber rose 0.69% and 0.42% respectively, with year-on-year gains between 5.66% and 10.43%, reflecting a moderate recovery in regenerated cellulose fibers.
Industry Impact
The collective rise in polyester filament yarns primarily stems from early release of autumn/winter fabric orders downstream. POY's 2% weekly gain means weaving mills' raw material costs have been quickly pushed up in the short term, but the simultaneous rise of DTY and FDY suggests genuine demand support rather than pure speculation. For buyers, this means previously locked-in yarn orders have gained paper profits, while those who haven't restocked face higher costs.
The plunge in acrylonitrile echoes the decline in PTA, both being upstream chemical fiber raw materials, potentially signaling a broader adjustment phase. Acrylonitrile's year-on-year gain remains high at 44.12%, indicating the current correction is rational after excessive earlier rises. However, a single-week drop of 4.46% has already altered cost expectations for downstream acrylic fiber producers; if the decline continues, acrylic yarn prices may follow, affecting winter thermal fabric pricing.
PTA's 3.67% drop to 6213 yuan/ton is bearish for polyester filament costs, yet filament prices rose against the trend, suggesting processing margins are widening. This 'lower cost, higher selling price' pattern is highly favorable for polyester plants, but its sustainability is questionable—if PTA continues to fall, filament prices may lose cost support and face catch-down risk. Polyester staple fiber has already declined 0.96%, perhaps signaling the start of this transmission.