Maleic Anhydride Price Trend Q2 2026: China & India
Maleic Anhydride Price Trend Q2 2026: What’s Behind the China and India Numbers
June 2026 data just came in, and the maleic anhydride price trend has a story to tell. China’s FOB price sits at USD 1,161.58/MT. India’s CIF price comes in higher, at USD 1,249.13/MT. That’s about USD 87.55 apart, and it’s not just a rounding difference.
Maleic anhydride doesn’t get talked about much outside chemical circles. But it sits behind unsaturated polyester resins, coatings, lubricant additives, a lot of things people never think about. When its price shifts, resin manufacturers feel it first. Everyone downstream feels it a bit later.
Current Maleic Anhydride Prices: China vs India
| Product | Region | Incoterm Basis | Price | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maleic Anhydride | China | FOB | USD 1,161.58/MT | June 2026 |
| Maleic Anhydride | India | CIF | USD 1,249.13/MT | June 2026 |
USD 87.55 per metric ton. That’s the gap. Multiply it out across a mid-size monthly order and it’s a figure worth flagging to finance, not just noting in passing.
A few notes before drawing conclusions:
- China’s price is FOB, meaning it covers the goods loaded at the export port. Freight and insurance to the destination aren’t included.
- India’s price is CIF, so freight and insurance are already folded in, which naturally raises the figure.
- Both prices reflect June 2026 only. Not a yearly average. Maleic anhydride can move within weeks depending on feedstock swings.
FOB and CIF aren’t really comparable side by side. Part of that USD 87.55 spread is simply what happens when you add freight and insurance costs on top. Still worth tracking as a rough benchmark, just don’t read it as a pure apples-to-apples number.
Why Maleic Anhydride Prices Move
What’s the biggest driver? Feedstock, hands down. Most maleic anhydride comes from n-butane or benzene oxidation, and both track crude oil pretty closely. When crude moves, feedstock costs move within days, and producers rarely eat that cost themselves.
Does regional demand matter as much? Yes, quite a bit. China runs large domestic resin and coatings production, so its maleic anhydride demand ties directly to construction and manufacturing output at home. India imports a meaningful share instead, and that import reliance is a big reason its landed price runs higher than China’s export price.
What about shipping? Freight costs, port delays, and bunker fuel prices all show up in the final number eventually. A jump in container rates alone can widen the China-India gap without production costs changing at all.
And currency? Maleic anhydride trades in dollars worldwide. A weaker rupee or yuan against the dollar raises the delivered cost for local buyers, even when the dollar price hasn’t moved an inch.
What This Means for Buyers and Investors
Buyers with sourcing flexibility will naturally look at China’s lower FOB number first. Fair enough. But FOB doesn’t include freight or insurance, so the real landed cost needs its own calculation before anyone assumes China is automatically cheaper.
India’s higher CIF price tells a different story for investors. It points toward a market still leaning on imports, which leaves room for domestic capacity expansion. A few Indian chemical producers have already been exploring exactly that, aiming to cut down import dependence over time.
Advisers working with resin, coatings, or lubricant additive clients should treat this data as an early cost signal. Maleic anhydride prices tend to show up in downstream product costs within a month or two. Tracking the trend now gives a head start on forecasting.
Looking Ahead: Q2 2026 Outlook
Nobody can call the exact direction with certainty. That’s just how thin-margin chemical markets work.
What looks reasonably likely is that the China-India spread holds through the rest of Q2 2026. Import dependency and domestic production capacity don’t shift overnight. Feedstock cost trends will probably decide whether the gap widens or tightens from here.
One thing worth acting on: don’t lock contracts based on outdated pricing. June 2026 figures are a snapshot, not a forecast, and maleic anhydride has a habit of moving faster than buyers expect.
Conclusion
The maleic anhydride price trend for Q2 2026 shows a clear split between China’s USD 1,161.58/MT FOB rate and India’s USD 1,249.13/MT CIF rate, both from June 2026. That USD 87.55 gap reflects freight structure, import reliance, and regional production capacity, not random noise. For procurement teams, investors, and advisers tracking petrochemical costs, this is data worth checking regularly, not once and forgetting about it.
FAQ Section
What is the current maleic anhydride price trend in China and India?
As of June 2026, China’s maleic anhydride is priced at USD 1,161.58/MT FOB, while India’s sits at USD 1,249.13/MT CIF. The USD 87.55 gap reflects differences in incoterm basis, freight costs, and each country’s reliance on imports versus domestic production.
Why does maleic anhydride cost more in India than China?
India’s price is CIF, meaning freight and insurance are already included. China’s FOB figure isn’t. India also imports a larger share of its supply, adding further to landed costs. Domestic production limits push the number up too.
What factors drive maleic anhydride prices the most?
Feedstock costs lead the list, mainly n-butane and benzene, both tied closely to crude oil. Regional demand, freight rates, and currency shifts play a role as well. Producers pass feedstock cost changes to buyers fairly quickly since margins run thin.
How often does maleic anhydride pricing change?
It can shift weekly, sometimes faster, depending on feedstock volatility and shipping conditions. The June 2026 figures are a useful reference point, but buyers finalizing contracts should always check for more current pricing before committing.
What’s the outlook for maleic anhydride prices in Q2 2026?
The China-India gap is likely to hold through Q2 2026, given the structural differences in import dependency and production capacity. Feedstock cost trends and how fast downstream demand recovers will largely decide whether that spread widens or narrows.