On March 18, the PX Commodity Index was 72.00, unchanged from yesterday, down 29.69% from its peak of 102.40 points in the cycle (2013-02-28), and up 58.07% from its low of 45.55 points on February 15, 2016. (Note: Period refers to 2013-02-01 to date).

Recently, the domestic market price trend of p-xylene has been temporarily stable. Pengzhou Petrochemical Plant has been running steadily. Urumqi Petrochemical Plant has started 50% of its operation. Fuhaichuang Aromatic Hydrocarbon Plant has started a line. CNOOC Huizhou Refinery and Chemical Plant has been overhauled. Other units have been running steadily for the time being. The domestic market supply of p-xylene is normal. The market price trend of p-xylene is temporarily stable. The opening rate of PX plant in Asia is about 80%. On March 18, the closing price of p-xylene in Asia dropped by 18 US dollars per ton. The closing price is US$106-1068 per ton FOB in Korea and US$1085-1087 per ton CFR in China. More than 50% of the domestic units need to be imported. The decline of foreign prices has a positive and negative impact on the domestic market price of p-xylene, and the price of p-xylene in the market fluctuates.

On March 18, the price of WTI crude oil in May rose to $59.09 per barrel, an increase of $0.57. The price of Brent crude oil in May fell to $67.54 per barrel, a decrease of $0.38. The price of crude oil rose slightly, which had little effect on the price of downstream petrochemical products, while the price of paraxylene was stable. Recent textile industry volatility, PTA prices declined on the 19th, the average price of East China bid in the vicinity of 6500-6600 yuan/ton, as of the 19th domestic PTA start-up rate is about 84%, polyester industry start-up rate is about 80%, downstream production and sales rate has risen, but PTA market prices are lower, it is expected that PX market prices will remain volatile in the later period.