For the Quarter Ending September 2024
North America
In Q3 2024, the Sodium Chlorite market in the North American region witnessed a significant decline in prices, with the USA experiencing the most pronounced changes. Various factors contributed to this downward trend. At the beginning of the quarter, cost support was low from feedstock Sodium chlorate and Sodium Chlorite prices decreased amid reduced demand for bleaching agents amid sluggish consumption of paper and textile industries.
In the middle of the third quarter, Sodium Chlorite production rates were hampered because of the stressed availability of feedstocks in the region. However, market sentiments were bearish amid moderate supply levels and low demand, and market players reduced their quotations.
Towards the end of Q3, the impact of Hurricane Helene resulted in reduced manufacturing activities and demand from end-user industries and an increase in regional stockpiles. The market players again reduced their quotations. Additionally, the decreasing demand from the FMCG sector at the end of the quarter, further affected the product prices demonstrating a negative price trend during the quarter.
APAC
In Q3 2024, the Sodium Chlorite pricing environment in the APAC region experienced a significant decline, marked by a notable 10% decrease from the previous quarter. Various factors contributed to this downward trend, including sluggish demand from critical sectors like textiles and paper, leading to oversupply and subsequent price adjustments to stimulate market offtakes. Additionally, increased feedstock prices for Sodium Chlorate resulted in elevated production costs, further impacting pricing dynamics. The market sentiment remained negative, with suppliers adjusting quotations to align with the subdued demand and supply imbalance. In India, the pricing landscape for Sodium Chlorite saw the most substantial price changes, with an 11% variance between the first and second half of the quarter. This decline underscored the challenging market conditions and the necessity for price realignments to navigate the changing landscape. The quarter-ending price reflected the prevailing bearish sentiment, indicating a challenging period for market players. The overall trend highlighted a consistent decrease in prices, emphasizing the need for strategic pricing strategies to remain competitive in a challenging market environment.
Europe
During the third quarter of 2024, the European Sodium Chlorite market experienced a predominantly negative pricing environment, and the price trend shifted its movement due to imbalanced demand-supply dynamics. Throughout the quarter, the sluggish demand from the textile sector, particularly within construction, exerted downward pressure on prices. The Eurozone's construction sector continued its downturn, significantly impacting Sodium Chlorite consumption. Additionally, the manufacturing sector faced challenges, with the Eurozone Manufacturing PMI indicating declining new orders and rising costs, further dampening demand. Supply-side dynamics also played a role, as supply availability improved post-summer holidays, yet demand failed to match this increase, exacerbating inventory levels. From the mid-quarter, the demand-supply imbalances and external economic pressures caused a marginal incline in Sodium Chlorite prices. Seasonality played a role as summer holidays resulted in labor shortages and reduced manufacturing rates, impacting supply chains. Despite no reported plant shutdowns, operational rates were closely monitored to manage the surplus supply indicating a persisting downward trend.
For the Quarter Ending June 2024
North America
The price trend of Sodium Chlorite in the North American region exhibited a shift, resulting in a downward trend towards the end of the quarter. Initially, prices increased due to high demand from the downstream textile sector, which led to higher production costs. Domestic market prices were also supported by heightened industrial and household activities in the region, as well as increased demand for water treatment during the summer season.
Price fluctuations were particularly notable in the US market, where retail prices rose by 1.35% in the mid-quarter. However, as buyers reduced their orders due to high prices, Sodium Chlorite prices began to decline in the North American market.
Towards the end of the quarter, Sodium Chlorite prices fell further due to increased supply availability amid decreased demand from the textile sector. Additionally, rising freight costs negatively impacted orders from importers, leading to higher inventory levels in the regional market. In response, producers lowered their prices to improve product sales from the market.
APAC
In Q2 2024, the Sodium Chlorite prices showcased a bullish trend and saw a steady increase in the prices in the APAC region. This upward trend was driven by strong demand from downstream industries and a tightening supply chain. The situation was further exacerbated by rising global freight charges and energy costs, with the Russia-Ukraine crisis intensifying these cost pressures and contributing to the overall price surge. Additionally, robust performance in related sectors, such as hygiene and personal care, significantly boosted demand. Seasonal trends led to increased procurement activity in the first half of the quarter due to various industrial needs, resulting in substantial price hikes compared to the second half. The Sodium Chlorite market experienced a significant increase from the previous quarter, reflecting a buoyant economic environment. This surge was primarily driven by sustained demand from the pharmaceutical and textile industries, coupled with effective inventory management despite occasional shortages. The absence of major plant shutdowns further supported a steady supply chain, ensuring continuous industrial application. The notable price increase when comparing the first and second halves of the quarter highlighted the growing demand dynamics and indicated a generally positive pricing environment throughout the quarter.
Europe
The European Sodium chlorite market showcased a bearish trend throughout the 2024 second quarter. At the beginning of the quarter, the Sodium Chlorite prices were decreased by suppliers as there was a high level of inventories in the regional market, which led to sellers revising the product prices negatively. Simultaneously, demand from downstream sectors like textiles, water treatment, paper, and pulp remained sluggish in the European markets. Price declines were particularly noticeable in the German market, where retail prices initially rose in the middle of the quarter. Buyers began to cut back on their orders in response to the high prices, the Sodium Chlorite prices started to fall in Germany. By the end of the quarter, prices decreased further due to increased supply availability amid reduced demand from the textile sector. Additionally, rising freight costs adversely impacted orders from importers, resulting in higher inventory levels in the regional market. In response, producers again lowered the Sodium Chlorite prices to stimulate sales.
For the Quarter Ending March 2024
North America
In the first quarter of 2024, the North American Sodium Chlorite market faced significant challenges, evidenced by a consistent decline in prices. The primary driver behind this downward trend was weak demand from key downstream industries such as preservatives and adhesives, which significantly dampened price levels.
Contributing to the market difficulties were supply imbalances characterized by an overabundance of product availability. This excess in inventory exacerbated the situation, as distributors struggled to offload surplus stock, further pressuring prices downward. However, the primary issue remained the weak demand, which continued to drive the trend of low prices despite these supply challenges.
As a result, inventory levels continued to rise, with storage units across North America seeing an accumulation of excess stock, reflecting the ongoing surplus within the market. In the USA, where the largest price changes were observed, the Sodium Chlorite market exhibited a consistent downward trajectory throughout the quarter. Overall, the North American Sodium Chlorite market endured a particularly tough quarter, marked by decreasing prices and a lacklustre demand outlook.
APAC
In Q1 2024 the price of the Sodium Chlorite in the APAC region witnessed a significant surge. Overall, the market has experienced varying degrees of price changes, influenced by several factors. In India, the market saw significant price increases during the quarter. This can be attributed to reduced imports from China, Europe, and the U.S., as well as increased prices of raw materials like sodium chlorate.
The demand for sodium chlorite remained stable in domestic downstream sectors such as textiles and pharmaceuticals. However, exports to Vietnam fell short of expectations due to sourcing from South Korean manufacturers. Despite these factors, warehouses held standard volumes of domestically sourced sodium chlorite, which helped mitigate shortages. In contrast, the pricing environment for sodium chlorite in the APAC region remained stable.
The demand for sodium chlorite was also moderate, with the pulp and paper industry being the main consumer. However, there was no major cost support from the derivative market, which limited price hikes. The market has not seen any major fluctuations in prices, and suppliers have kept their prices intact. The quarter-ending price for sodium chlorite in India marked an increment of 3.12%. The market has been influenced by factors such as reduced imports, increased raw material prices, and positive demand from downstream sectors.
Europe
During Q1 2024, the Sodium Chlorite market in Europe faced a declining price trend, impacted by a combination of weak demand, oversupply, and subdued trading activities. This resulted in an overall negative market sentiment, with prices consistently falling throughout the quarter. Factors such as limited demand, an abundance of product availability, and decreased purchasing activities significantly influenced the market dynamics. The fundamentals of the market remained weak, evidenced by slow market offtakes, and increased stock levels among suppliers. Notably, there was a modest uptick in prices in the latter half of the quarter, suggesting a slight improvement in market sentiment. By the end of the quarter, the prices for Sodium Chlorite were relatively low, mirroring the persistent negative pricing environment that characterized the quarter.In summary, the pricing landscape for Sodium Chlorite in Europe during Q1 2024 was predominantly negative. However the weak economic activities have hampered the demand from the various downstream sectors like Paper and Pulp, Textile, and the other miscellaneous sectors where Sodium Chlorite finds a significant uses as a bleaching agent.
For the Quarter Ending December 2023
North America
The North American Sodium Chlorite market in Q4 2023 witnessed a relatively increased trend, with moderate supply and demand conditions prevailing. In October, the Sodium Chlorite maintained its stable due to the sufficient availability to meet the domestic requirements. Furthermore, the global textile industry maintained a relatively stable and rose in pulp prices in the market during this period.
In November, Manufacturers highlighted that the elevated prices of oil and oil-derived materials had contributed to higher operating expenses. Despite an observed improvement in demand conditions, the overall rate of growth remained marginal. Some companies continued to report a subdued sales environment, indicating that while there was a positive shift, it was not substantial.
In December, the growth in total new orders was primarily driven by domestic demand, while new international sales experienced a further decline. The Christmas and New Year holidays contributed to the marginal decline in the prices of Sodium Chlorite.
APAC
Throughout the fourth quarter of 2023, the Sodium Chlorite market in India maintained a stable pricing trend. The demand from key downstream sectors such as paper and textiles remained at an average level during this period. The market exhibited a balance between supply and demand, ensuring sufficient availability to meet domestic requirements. The continuous influx of materials from manufacturing units has led to a situation of material overflow within the domestic market. In December, the contraction in new foreign sales showed signs of moderation, with export business contracting at a marginal rate, the slowest in six months. Contributing to Sodium Chlorite's performance were weakening conditions in crucial downstream industries, specifically textiles, paper, and water treatment. The softening in these sectors had a notable influence on the overall dynamics of Sodium Chlorite sales in the international market. However, overall product demand lacked robustness, and inquiries from the overseas market remained subdued as the year concluded.
Europe
In Europe, market conditions stagnated at a low level for Sodium Chlorite in the fourth quarter of 2023. The lackluster demand for the product was primarily due to the abundant supply prevalent in the market, leading to a cautious procurement approach by downstream industries. In Germany, the consistent narrow price range observed for Sodium Chlorite was a result of subdued demand reflected in low orders received from the domestic market. The continued decline in new orders from the domestic market during October further contributed to a reduction in purchasing activity within the German market. The downstream industries, specifically mentioning Sodium Chlorite 6, appeared to be cautious in their procurement approach, only making purchases on a need basis. This lack of proactive buying from downstream industries indicates a more conservative and reserved stance, possibly influenced by market conditions or strategic considerations. Due to a shortage of new orders, manufacturers persisted in reducing their backlog of work, experiencing another significant decrease throughout the month.
