In the 34th week of 2026 (August 24-28), textile bulk commodity prices showed a rare split: polyester filament yarns collectively strengthened, with POY rising 2.00% to 8,767.5 yuan/ton, DTY and FDY up 1.76% and 1.70% respectively; while acrylonitrile plunged 4.46% to 11,433.33 yuan/ton, and PTA fell 3.67%. This divergence is not accidental—it reveals the tug-of-war between upstream cost easing and downstream demand resilience in the polyester chain, signaling that procurement strategies for textile raw materials need recalibration in the coming weeks.
Background
Weekly data shows the average change was only +0.03%, but internal structure was sharply divided. Among gainers, polyester filament yarns led, with year-on-year increases exceeding 21% (POY +24.25%, DTY +21.66%, FDY +21.81%). Nylon series also strengthened, with DTY, POY, and FDY rising 0.97%, 0.86%, and 0.29% respectively, up 14%-21% year-on-year. Raw silk rose 0.85% but still down 9.16% year-on-year; viscose staple fiber and viscose yarn gained 0.42% and 0.69%, with annual increases in the 5%-10% range.
Declining items were concentrated in upstream chemical fiber raw materials. Acrylonitrile fell 4.46% weekly but still up 44.12% year-on-year, indicating a high-level correction; PTA dropped 3.67% weekly, up 26.54% annually. Polyester staple fiber declined 0.96%, up 17.93% year-on-year. Cotton, cotton yarn, polyester yarn, and spandex prices were flat, reflecting market caution.
Industry Impact
The divergence between polyester filament and PTA is the most notable signal. PTA, a direct upstream of polyester filament, fell in price, which should lower production costs, but filament prices rose instead. This implies strong restocking demand from downstream weavers, who accept higher prices. This "cost down, product up" pattern will significantly improve polyester producers' cash flow in the short term, but may attract more capacity, intensifying future supply pressure.
The sharp drop in acrylonitrile warrants caution. Its year-on-year increase remains high at 44%, indicating the correction is rational after excessive gains. For downstream industries like acrylic fiber and ABS, lower raw material costs help repair margins, but if the decline persists, it could trigger a chain-wide destocking.
For buyers, the price divergence means different bargaining power across categories: polyester filament is prone to rise in the short term, so purchase on demand; acrylonitrile and PTA may warrant waiting for stabilization signals. For foreign trade enterprises, filament prices up over 20% year-on-year will directly raise fabric export costs; quotes must reserve room for exchange rate and raw material fluctuations.