Product
Sulfuric Acid Price Trend and Forecast
Sulfuric Acid Price Trend and Forecast
Regional Market Overview
Get the latest insights on price movement and trend analysis of Sulfuric Acid in different regions across the world (Asia, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa).
Sulfuric Acid Price Trend for the First Half of 2023
Asia
In the initial months of 2023, the Sulfuric Acid market was stagnant, but the prices started to decline gradually in the subsequent months. The falling prices of oleum and fertilizers had an adverse effect on the market dynamics. In April, a steep dip was observed, and overall, the prices declined by approximately 35% from January’23 to June’23 in the China region. The Sulfuric Acid was most affected by upstream and downstream industries’ declining interest, widening the gap between the supply and demand sectors.
Europe
The prices of Sulfuric Acid mirrored the trends observed in the Asia-Pacific region. The fall in the prices in Europe was caused by the depreciation in currency rates and high oil prices amid the global economy's weak performance. In addition, poor market sentiments in the chemicals and fertilizers sectors and rising inventory levels powered the downward movement of sulfuric acid prices.
North America
The trend of prices of Sulfuric Acid in North America was similar to that of Europe and Asia Pacific. The decline in the first two quarters of 2023 was caused by the increase in inventory levels due to the weak market dynamics of the fertilizers market globally. The persistent low sales in the region led to a fall in the revenue generated and negatively impacted the buying sentiments of the consumers.
Analyst Insight
According to Procurement Resource, the price of Sulfuric Acid is estimated to depict a declining trend in the upcoming months as the fertilizers sector is performing sluggishly. And with rising inflation costs, manufacturers are forced to lower their profits in order to remain competitive.
Sulfuric Acid Price Trend for the Second Half of 2022
Asia
The prices of sulfuric acid fluctuated in the third quarter but dipped in the fourth quarter of 2022. Low inventories led to a subtle increase in the prices but the disruption in transportation on Southeast Asian market ports led to a decline in sulfuric acid prices. The decline was gradual in the fourth quarter as the uncertainties increased in the Asian market. The ongoing crude oil crises along with poor demand and declining spot prices in the international market negatively affected the price trend of sulfuric acid.
Europe
The sulfuric acid prices were in a good range during the initial months of Q3 but took a steep fall mid-quarter. Fertilizer demand drove the market initially but the decline in demand, rise in inventories, low consumption, and negative sentiments from the buyers severely affected the market. In the fourth quarter, a significant dip was observed due to the decrease in the cost of feedstock and declining energy production costs. The automotive sector, which is the major market driver of sulfuric acid, also remained weak and thus, the price trend of sulfuric acid declined in the European region.
North America
The uncertainties in the end-user sector, low consumption rates, and fluctuating fertilizer market severely affected the sulfuric acid price trend. Not only in the third but also in the fourth quarter, the prices declined due to similar reasons. Industrial uncertainties played a major role in this decline as even the dye industry along with the fertilizers saw a decrease in the demand for the product which kept the sulfuric acid prices in the negative range.
Analyst Insight
According to Procurement Resource, the price trends for sulfuric acid are expected to deplete in the upcoming quarter. The price of feedstocks, market uncertainties, and weak demand from the end-user industries will play a major role in deciding sulfuric acid prices.
Sulfuric Acid Price Trend for the First Half of 2022
Asia
The prices of sulfuric acid consistently rose in the first quarter. As a platform chemical and an essential component in fertilizers, its robust demand from the agricultural sector strengthened its pricing patterns. The price of sulfuric acid averaged 172 USD/MT during Q1. With the economic and political situation aggravating the global supply constraints, sulfuric acid prices are further inclined. In Q2, the price of sulphuric acid averaged 11020 INR/MT in the Indian domestic market.
Europe
Sanctions against the significant exporters of fertilizers, Russia and Belarus, created massive shortages in the European market as the precious Black Sea cargoes did not arrive. Hence, pressure was put on domestic manufacturers to increase production, thereby impacting the demand fundamentals for sulfuric acid. The prices surged throughout the European market, averaging 236 USD/MT.
North America
During the said period, the pricing fundamentals of sulfuric acid kept strong, averaging 264 USD/MT in the US domestic market. These inflated prices were supported by high feedstock prices, raised freight charges, labour shortages and solid downstream demand.
Analyst Insight
According to Procurement Resource, the price of sulfuric acid will likely undergo fluctuations as the geopolitical situation relaxes. The new supplies coming from US and OPEC+ are expected to ease the upstream cost pressure on industrial production. Also, given the grim economic crisis, the demand for fertilizers is declining, which will directly impact sulfuric acid pricing.
Sulfuric Acid Price Trend for the Year of 2021
Following a consistent uptrend in the previous quarter, the sulphuric acid market sentiments in US eased during the final quarter of 2021. The development in the market dynamics could be attributed to the improved availability of feedstock sulphur as the OPEC+ alliance reported a gradual increase in the production of crude oil which was further backed by the announcement made by the Biden’s administration to release oil reserves in the middle of the fourth quarter.
Additionally, the quarterly average producer's price index in the US for sulphuric acid was assessed at 206.10 points. The FOB Linden NJ prices for sulphuric acid followed a ripple effect and were settled at 178 USD/MT. In China, the price was recorded in the range of 800-1400 RMB/MT in March 2022. The upstream sulphur market had risen sharply and the cost support was good.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the country produced more than 92.38 million metric tonnes of sulfuric acid in 2020. Fertilizers consumed a significant amount of sulfuric acid, with over 52.5 million tonnes of chemical fertiliser used in China in 2020.
Coromandel International, India's second-largest phosphatic fertiliser player and a subsidiary of the Murugappa Group, announced plans in November 2021 to invest INR 400 crore in a sulfuric acid plant with a daily capacity of 1,650 tonnes at its fertiliser complex in Visakhapatnam.
Pharmaceuticals is one of the region's fastest-growing industries, and it's also a big user of sulfuric acid. According to IBEF, India's domestic pharmaceutical market is predicted to reach USD 120-130 billion by 2030, up from USD 42 billion in 2021.
Procurement Resource provides latest prices of Sulfuric Acid. Each price database is tied to a user-friendly graphing tool dating back to 2014, which provides a range of functionalities: configuration of price series over user defined time period; comparison of product movements across countries; customisation of price currencies and unit; extraction of price data as excel files to be used offline.
About
Sulfuric Acid, a colourless liquid, is a well-known mineral acid consisting of elements such as sulphur, oxygen and hydrogen. It is an odourless liquid that is viscous in nature and miscible in water. It is synthesized in extreme exothermic reactions. It has strong acidic nature and it readily absorbs water vapour from the air. It finds wide range of applications in chemical industry such as its use as an electrolyte in lead-acid batteries.
Product Details
| Report Features | Details |
| Product Name | Sulfuric Acid |
| Chemical Formula | H2SO4 |
| Industrial Uses | Fertilisers, Production of chemicals, Sulphur–iodine cycle, Oil refining, Wastewater processing, Industrial cleaning agent, Catalyst, Electrolyte |
| Molecular Weight | 98.08 g/mol |
| Synonyms | 7664-93-9, Oil of vitriol |
| Supplier Database | BASF SE, INEOS Sulphur Chemicals (INEOS Capital Limited), The Mosaic Company, Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden), Agrium U.S. Inc. (Nutrien Ltd.), Zhejiang Jiahua Energy Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. |
| Region/Countries Covered | Asia Pacific: China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Iran, Thailand, South Korea, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Nepal, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, UAE, Israel, Hongkong, Singapore, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Australia, and New Zealand Europe: Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Russia, Turkey, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Austria, Ireland Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Romania, Finland, Czech Republic, Portugal and Greece North America: United States and Canada Latin America: Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco |
| Currency | US$ (Data can also be provided in local currency) |
| Supplier Database Availability | Yes |
| Customization Scope | The report can be customized as per the requirements of the customer |
| Post-Sale Analyst Support | 360-degree analyst support after report delivery |
Note: Our supplier search experts can assist your procurement teams in compiling and validating a list of suppliers indicating they have products, services, and capabilities that meet your company's needs.
Production Processes
- Production of Sulfuric Acid from Sulphur via Single Contact Process, via Double Contact Process, via Wet Sulfuric Acid Process, from Tail Gas Using H2O2 Abatement.
In order to produce Sulfuric Acid via Single Contact Process, sulphur is burned to produce sulphur dioxide, followed by its conversion to sulphur trioxide via oxidation. The obtained sulphur trioxide is transformed into Sulfuric Acid by absorption with recirculating Sulfuric acid solution in water in just one column.
Methodology
The displayed pricing data is derived through weighted average purchase price, including contract and spot transactions at the specified locations unless otherwise stated. The information provided comes from the compilation and processing of commercial data officially reported for each nation (i.e. government agencies, external trade bodies, and industry publications).
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