Staying ahead of the curve in the chemical industry is essential for maintaining competitiveness and managing risk.

To do so involves tracing market trends and how they are shifting due to geopolitical events, seasonal demand, and regulatory changes. By actively monitoring these trade patterns and price fluctuations, manufacturers, chemical companies, and traders can make informed purchasing and sourcing decisions.

Price tracking tools and market intelligence platforms help identify the right time to buy or sell, avoiding costly missteps. Some companies, such as ICIS provide in-depth analysis and up-to-date pricing data. Others, like Chemarc and Spotchemi, offer insight based on the activity on their own chemical trading platforms.

Both approaches empower traders and procurement teams with the information needed to navigate a fast-evolving global chemical landscape.

Top 10 Traded Chemicals on Spotchemi (Q2 2025)

Each product listed below has demonstrated consistent listing volume and trading activity across Spotchemi‘s global network.

1. Urea

• Applications: Fertiliser production (agriculture), resins
• Trend: India remains the world’s largest importer of urea, driven by government subsidies and intensive agriculture. Brazil follows closely, with urea use rising to support its massive soybean and maize sectors. Southeast Asia—including Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia—also shows growing demand, especially during monsoon cropping seasons.
• Insight: As of June 2025, Spotchemi (who sponsors this webpage) shows over 300 active listings for urea, including granular, prilled, and technical grades. A large portion of these listings are from suppliers in the Middle East, Central Asia, and China, with demand remaining robust despite global price fluctuations.

2. Polyethylene (LDPE/HDPE)

• Applications: Packaging, films, containers
• Trend: PE prices dipped ~4% in June 2025 to 7,087 CNY/ton ($~1,030/ton), following river holidays and feedstock softness; LatAm demand, however, gained momentum in Q2.
• Insight: Sustainability push driving recycled LDPE interest—platform listings reflect both virgin and post-consumer grades with stable buyer engagement.

3. Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic Soda)

• Applications: Aluminium refining, textiles, pulp and paper
• Trend: Significant demand remains in India, China, and Latin America, driven by their growing textile, paper & pulp, and aluminium sectors. Europe and North America also maintain steady consumption, particularly in water treatment and chemical manufacturing.
• Insights: According to the ICIS Caustic Soda Price Index, regional price disparities are notable in Q2 2025:

China: ~$450/ton FOB (reflecting stable demand from alumina and textiles)

Netherlands: ~€460/ton ($498), affected by EU energy policy and environmental levies

Saudi Arabia: ~$520/ton FOB, with strong export flows to Africa and South Asia

United States: ~$408/ton FOB Gulf Coast, reflecting lower domestic freight and feedstock costs.

Spotchemi has seen a strong and stable volume of listings for flakes, pearls, and caustic soda lye, particularly from producers in the Middle East, China, and Southeast Asia. Buyers are showing consistent preference for high-purity grades suitable for regulated industrial processes.

4. Monoethylene glycol (MEG)

• Applications: Antifreeze, polyester
• Trend: Prices ranged $408–520/MT in Q1–Q2 2025: ~$408 in the U.S., ~$498 in the Netherlands, ~$520 in Saudi, and ~$450 in China—regional disparities due to energy and emissions policies.

As a recent report by Imarcgroup notes, “Due to production difficulties brought on by the winter storms along the Gulf Coast, the market saw price rises. Tight supply conditions and rising ethylene oxide costs drove increased prices despite the PET industry’s lackluster demand. Major plant maintenance turnarounds further reduced availability, maintaining stable prices.”

• Insight: Feedstock costs (natural gas) and demand has stabilized prices, although Spotchemi listings show steady trade interest across major hubs.

5. Sulphur

• Applications: Fertilisers (sulphuric acid), metal refining
• Trend: North American Q1 bullish; EU customs price up 32% Q1–Q2 2025; U.S. ~$140/MT, China ~$290/MT, Europe ~$195/MT, UAE ~$174/MT.
• Insight: Logistics issues and refinery cuts tighten supply; Spotchemi listings spike from sources like UAE and Russia, reflecting global tightness.

6. Methanol

• Applications: Fuel blending, formaldehyde, acetic acid
• Trend: June 2025 ICIS T2 FOB Rotterdam futures hovered at ~$271/ton; North America reference price $778/MT, Asia $375/MT, China $350/MT
• Insight: Stable demand across industrial sectors, with renewed interest in MTO (methanol-to-olefins) routes. Spotchemi listings show steady trade interest across major hubs

7. Ammonium Nitrate

• Applications: Fertiliser, explosives.
• Trend: Strong demand persists in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and parts of Central Asia, where ammonium nitrate is used extensively in both fertiliser production and civil explosives for mining and infrastructure.
• Insight: Spotchemi listings on feature technical-grade ammonium nitrate with varying nitrogen content and particle sizes. Activity has increased during Q2 2025 in response to seasonal fertiliser demand and rising mining output in key regions.

According to Fertilizer Focus and IndexBox, global ammonium nitrate prices have remained firm, driven by restricted Russian exports, natural gas input costs, and stringent shipping regulations. Market size is projected to reach $6.18 billion by late 2025.

8. Acetic Acid

• Applications: Solvents, adhesives, food-grade uses
• Trend: Demand is steady in Southeast Asia, China, and Western Europe, where acetic acid is essential in vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), adhesives, and solvents.
• Insight: Spotchemi listings in Q2 2025 reflect growing buyer interest in both industrial- and food-grade acetic acid, especially from suppliers in Asia and the Middle East. Prices declined in early Q2 due to oversupply—averaging $510–$570/MT—but are now stabilising amid firming downstream demand and tighter inventory controls

9. PVC Resin

• Applications: Construction (pipes, fittings), healthcare
• Trend: Strong demand continues in India, Turkey, and West Africa, fuelled by growth in construction and infrastructure projects.
• Insights: Spotchemi listings show active trade in suspension and emulsion grades, with consistent buyer engagement. PVC prices rose over 6% in Q1 2025, and forecasts project levels reaching $1,050–$1,150/MT by Q3.

10. Citric Acid

• Applications: Food, beverages, pharma, cleaning agents
• Trend: Consistent demand in Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia, driven by the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors.
• Insight: Spotchemi listings remain steady, with both food-grade and technical-grade citric acid available from suppliers in China and Europe. Prices have been relatively stable, with minor fluctuations due to logistics and seasonal demand.

The second quarter of 2025 has underscored the importance of agility, intelligence, and digital connectivity in global chemical trade. Products like urea, polyethylene, and caustic soda continue to lead due to their industrial ubiquity and seasonal relevance, while others like methanol, sulphur, and acetic acid reflect evolving demand patterns and price pressures.

Related articles: A Day in the Life of an Industrial Chemicals Trader or Why Chemical Traders Should look for Profit in Biochemical Markets

Platforms like Spotchemi provide a transparent window into real-time market activity, enabling buyers and sellers to track trends, compare offers, and act on emerging opportunities. By combining Spotchemi’s marketplace insights with pricing data from sources such as ICIS, Argus, and Chemarc, procurement teams can make smarter, faster, and more informed decisions.

Staying informed isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.

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