Market Intelligence & Supply Analysis
       

       
       

            Asia PET Resin Market Update: Supply-Demand Tug-of-War as China Run Rates Drop to 58.3%
       

       
       

            According to the October 23, 2026 ICIS Polyethylene Terephthalate market assessment, the Asian PET export market experienced a pronounced tug-of-war this week. While early-week feedstock softness prompted exporters to trim offers and close volume deals between $1,165–$1,185/tonne FOB China, late-week crude rebounds and deeper plant output cuts pushed spot offers back above the $1,200/tonne mark.
       

       
       

            Key Price Indicators & Operational Metrics
       

       
       

           
               
                   
                   
                   
               
           
           
               
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                   
                   
               
           
       

Market Indicator	Latest Spot Range / Assessment	Weekly Status
FOB China PET Bottle Grade	$1,160 - $1,200 / tonne	▼ -$10 to -$20 (Late Rebound)
PTA Feedstock (CFR China)	$949 - $979 / tonne	▼ -$19 to -$27 / tonne
FOB SE Asia PET Bottle Grade	$1,240 - $1,380 / tonne	▼ -$10 at low end
China Bottle-Grade Operating Rate	58.3%	▼ Cut from 60.5%
Factory Inventory Level	3 - 5 days	Balanced-to-Short Supply

       
       

           
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                  Intra-Week Price Reversal: Chinese exporters initially lowered November offers to $1,170–$1,180/tonne FOB China, concluding the bulk of weekly transactions at $1,165–$1,185/tonne. However, late-week gains in crude and feedstock futures prompted sellers to lift offers back above $1,200/tonne.
             

           
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                  Disciplined Output Rationing: With Sanfame Group keeping 1,500 kt/year of capacity offline across lines No. 6 and No. 7, China's overall bottle-grade operating rate fell to 58.3%. Low producer stocks of 3–5 days continue to sustain a backwardated market where December shipments trade at a discount to November cargoes.
             

       

       
       

            Procurement Advisory for Global Converters
       

       

            As the market enters a standoff between restricted factory output and cautious year-end buying, downstream converters remain reluctant to chase offers above $1,200/tonne FOB China. Buyers looking to cover essential Q4 and early Q1 requirements should target mid-range negotiation windows and leverage forward December shipment discounts to optimize landed procurement costs.