In March 2026, the domestic bisphenol A market experienced a strong outbreak, with prices showing a significant upward trend, staging a roller coaster ride of “first skyrocketing, then rebounding, and then stabilizing”, becoming the most industry focused product in the chemical market that month. As of March 31st, the benchmark price of bisphenol A in Shengyi Society was reported at 11520.00 yuan/ton, an increase of 42.75% compared to the beginning of this month. The price is in the high range of nearly a year, about 14% higher than the historical median, and the market activity and price increase have exceeded expectations.

In March, the bisphenol A market showed an overall upward trend of “explosive rise rational correction stabilization and recovery”, and the market can be integrated into two core stages. In the first ten days, the bisphenol A market completely broke the previous stable and stagnant trend, quickly opening up a crazy rising mode of “one price per day”. The price skyrocketed from 8070 yuan/ton on March 1 to 12360 yuan/ton on March 9, with a staggering increase of 53.16% in just nine days. In the second half of the year, influenced by the rise and fall of international crude oil prices and the increasing resistance of downstream enterprises to high prices, the price of bisphenol A experienced a rational correction, dropping to a minimum of 10510 yuan/ton. Subsequently, it gradually stabilized and rebounded under the dual driving force of continuous cost support and downstream demand replenishment. At the end of the month, the price remained stable at 11520 yuan/ton, up nearly 10% from the low point of the correction, and the market supply and demand pattern returned to a tight balance state.
The significant rise in the bisphenol A market in March was the result of the synergistic resonance of three core factors: cost, supply, and demand. The rigid support of the cost side and the tight balance between market supply and demand were the core driving forces behind the price increase.
Cost side: Driven by crude oil, phenols and ketones rise together, forming rigid support
In the production cost structure of bisphenol A, phenol ketone (phenol, acetone) is the core raw material, accounting for more than 70%, and its price fluctuations directly determine the cost trend of bisphenol A. Since March, the geopolitical conflict in the Middle East has continued to intensify, and international crude oil prices have fluctuated significantly. Brent crude oil futures prices once exceeded $110 per barrel, providing strong cost support for the entire petrochemical industry chain. As a result, the prices of phenol and acetone, the core raw materials of bisphenol A, have skyrocketed significantly, directly pushing up the production cost of bisphenol A and forcing domestic bisphenol A production enterprises to continuously raise the factory price of their products, becoming one of the core drivers of price increases.
Supply side: Large factories are raising prices, while spot prices are tight, exacerbating the tense market atmosphere
The tightening trend on the supply side has further amplified the upward momentum of prices, becoming an important driving force for the market to rise. In March, the operating rate of mainstream bisphenol A production facilities in China (such as Jiangsu Ruiheng, Nantong Xingchen, Longjiang Chemical, etc.) remained at 6-8.5%, and did not reach full load operation, resulting in relatively limited overall market supply. At the same time, the overall inventory turnover days in the industry have dropped to 10-15 days, significantly lower than the historical average, and the spot circulation remains tight. In addition, manufacturers tend to prioritize meeting the supply needs of long-term contract customers, resulting in a lower quantity of spot goods for export. Traders take advantage of this situation to hoard goods and avoid selling them, further exacerbating the irrational atmosphere of “buying up instead of buying down” in the market and continuously driving up prices.

Demand side: With the arrival of peak season and the release of essential needs, solid support is provided
March is the traditional peak season for consumption in the chemical industry, with downstream core application industries such as epoxy resin and polycarbonate (PC) resuming work and production, and procurement demand being concentrated. According to industry data, the combined consumption of bisphenol A by PC and epoxy resin exceeds 97%, and the growth in demand for both directly drives the market consumption of bisphenol A. Although the price of bisphenol A remained high in March, downstream factories had to replenish their inventory for essential needs in order to maintain normal production progress. This demand support provided a solid bottom line for bisphenol A prices, further boosting their sustained upward trend.
Downstream industries are under pressure, and cost pressures continue to spread
The skyrocketing price of bisphenol A has directly led to a sharp increase in production costs for downstream products such as epoxy resin and PC, with the powder coating industry being the most affected. As of late March, the price of bisphenol A has risen by over 3200 yuan/ton compared to the beginning of the year. This cost pressure has forced dozens of domestic powder coating companies (such as Fujian Wan’an, Hanson Bond, etc.) to issue price increase letters intensively, with product price increases ranging from 15% to 70%. Downstream enterprises are generally facing the dual pressure of “significant cost increases” and “fierce competition in the terminal market”, resulting in a significant compression of profit margins. Some small and medium-sized enterprises are unable to withstand the continuously rising cost pressure, leading to production cuts, shutdowns, or even market exits.
4、 Future prospects
From a business perspective, the market is expected to maintain a strong operating pattern in the short term, but in the long run, it is important to be vigilant about the potential risks of price corrections.
From the perspective of price support factors, international crude oil and phenol ketone prices are expected to maintain high levels in the short term, which will continue to provide rigid cost support for bisphenol A; At the same time, some domestic bisphenol A production facilities in the second quarter are planned to enter a maintenance cycle, which is expected to reduce market supply by about 50000 tons. The tight supply situation is difficult to alleviate in the short term; In addition, the traditional peak consumption season of “gold three silver four” is still ongoing, and downstream industries’ essential procurement will maintain a certain scale. These factors together support the high price of bisphenol A.
From the perspective of potential risk factors, the current price of bisphenol A is already at a high level, and there is still uncertainty about whether downstream demand can continue to follow up in the future. If downstream enterprises choose to reduce production and load due to continued cost pressure, it will directly lead to a contraction in market demand and trigger price adjustments; In addition, if the easing of international geopolitical conflicts leads to a decline in crude oil prices, loosening of phenol and ketone prices, or the gradual release of new domestic production capacity for bisphenol A, it will significantly suppress the price of bisphenol A and increase the possibility of price correction.
Overall, in the short term, the bisphenol A market will mainly experience high-level fluctuations, and the price volatility is expected to gradually narrow; In the long run, with the gradual adjustment of industry supply and demand patterns and the rational return of market sentiment, prices are expected to gradually return to a reasonable range. In this context, it is recommended to view the current market situation rationally, control inventory reasonably, do a good job in risk management, and smoothly navigate through this round of raw material price fluctuations.