During March, the worldwide pricing of polyetheramine remained mixed, with a price drop in the United States and a slight increase in China, both reflective of demand and supply dynamics in their respective regions.

In the US polyetheramine market, downward price pressure resulted from weakness in market sentiment and consumption patterns. Most recently released construction data reported a slowdown from earlier this year, with some of this slowdown attributable to project delays and seasonal activity/closure, thereby weakening the offtake of polyetheramine in adhesives and coatings. In March, construction spending decreased 0.2% and exacerbating this slowdown, as the continued rise in mortgage rates discouraged new homebuilding. The slowdown in the construction sector had a significant impact on demand via one of the major end-use sectors.

The automotive market provided some support, as retail sales increased for the sixth consecutive month and increased 12.9% year-on-year. However, the support from the automotive sector was not enough to offset the demand decline, and prices continued to decline as sellers sought to gain business in a declining demand scenario. On the supply side, ongoing import flows and balanced domestic production provided enough inventory levels. However, suppliers noted they were starting to carry inventory as demand began to soften for polyetheramine.

In contrast, polyetheramine pricing in China increased slightly in March from recovering downstream demand, despite lower feedstock price levels. Although the increase in pricing was moderate, it has bumped pricing upward from recovery in the construction, coatings, and automotive sectors. The construction sector showed modest improvement in the business activity index, rising 0.7 points to 53.4% since February, indicating some improved demand for polyetheramine-based products.

In China, manufacturers reacted to strong market sentiment by keeping production levels steady and cautiously raising prices. Raw material supply remained steady, and the supply chain was not seriously disrupted. Suppliers managed inventories carefully in light of rising demand, thus avoiding an oversupply of polyetheramine in the market. The automotive industry in China also maintained solid demand, supporting active purchasing and inventory replenishment in downstream sectors. Strong industrial demand and stable supply conditions ultimately supported modest price increases across the market.

Therefore, while polyetheramine prices in the United States were subjected to downward movements amidst soft demand, China’s strong downstream consumption and balanced supply and demand conditions allowed prices to increase slightly in March.

As per ChemAnalyst, Polyetheramine pricing may remain rangebound, with perception influenced by weaker domestic demand in the U.S. and switching tariffs, while China's steady downstream activity should provide flickers of firmness.