Recently, influenced by tariff policies and demand-side factors, the overall prices of toluene and xylene have been on a downward trend, operating under pressure.
With the approaching May Day holiday, so far, pre-holiday stockpiling has mainly been driven by just-in-case demand, keeping the market sluggish. Major refiners have adjusted their listed prices downward in a catch-up move. In the Shandong region, market prices are set based on individual refiners’ inventory levels, resulting in a wide price range. Currently, there is a lack of effective support, and the market is generally performing weakly. It is essential to closely monitor external news and developments (including the implementation of tariff policies and the impact of OPEC’s upcoming end-of-month meeting announcements) and operate with caution.