In today's era of economic globalization and geopolitical changes, comprehensive market intelligence and research have become a vital part of business operations. Competition in all industries is fierce, so market information and services are critical to maintaining profitability and industry leadership. Procurement Source magazine is a journal focused on the global chemicals market, including price intelligence on the carbon black market, providing customers with data-backed insights to help them make purchasing decisions. In addition to paid market research reports, the magazine also publicly reports on the price trends of major global carbon black markets every quarter.
The latest report shows that carbon black price trends in major global regions in the first quarter of this year are as follows:
**Asia Region:** Carbon black prices in Asian countries have fluctuated in the first three months of 2024. The tire and automotive industries in China and India are showing substantial growth, which is expected to boost carbon black demand and increase production. However, as procurement rates stagnated, there was an imbalance between supply and demand in the market. As the quarter ends, the overall market trend begins to improve, giving traders hope.
**European Region:** Although the European carbon black market saw some gains towards the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, it still faces multiple challenges. Rising crude oil prices, escalating sanctions on Russian imports and attacks on shipping lines in Asia have stoked concerns among producers and traders. Additionally, rising interest rates and bullish energy prices have dampened the consumption of carbon black derivatives. EU environmental regulations and recycling mandates have increased the burden on tire producers, while global shipping disruptions and container shortages have pushed up transportation costs. Throughout the first quarter, carbon black prices in the European market were at a loss.
**North America:** In North America, the carbon black market is affected by changes in demand from downstream industries such as automotive, plastics, coatings and printing inks. Only the automotive industry is showing positive growth, while other industries are struggling to sustain themselves under severe market conditions. Low demand has led to a significant build-up in carbon black inventories, with traders stimulating destocking activities by offering discounts on bulk purchases. The raw oil industry has provided limited support to the market, causing carbon black price trends to remain at the low end.
Analysts from "Procurement Resources" magazine believe that considering the short-term prospects of the global carbon black downstream industry and fluctuations in raw material costs, carbon black price trends will face challenges.