Adipic acid is mainly used to make nylon 6,6, which goes into car parts, engineering plastics, textiles and carpets. It is also used in polyurethanes, plasticizers and coatings. Because it is made from benzene-derived cyclohexane and cyclohexanone, plus nitric acid, its price depends on both petrochemical feedstocks and demand from the automotive and textile industries.
In the first half of 2026, conflict in the Middle East raised crude, benzene and freight costs, and adipic acid prices rose in every major market. Q3 was different: the increases mostly stopped.
Q3 2026 at a glance (change vs Q2)
🇺🇸 United States (DEL Houston): +0.95%, averaging USD 1,939.33/MT
🇧🇷 Brazil (FOB Sao Paulo): +0.05%, averaging USD 2,481.33/MT
🇯🇵 Japan (CFR Nagoya): −3.47%, averaging USD 1,667.00/MT
🇩🇪 Germany (FOB Hamburg): −9.23%
From strong gains to a standstill
The change from Q2 is clear. In Q2 2026, prices rose 9.56% in the US, 7.29% in Japan, 11.99% in Germany and 3.6% in Brazil. In Q3, the US and Brazil were almost flat, Japan dipped and Germany fell the most.
The cause was not lower costs. Cyclohexanone, nitric acid and ammonia prices rose in several regions during Q3. Prices fell because supply was plentiful and demand for nylon and automotive materials was weak, so producers could not pass the higher costs on to buyers.
United States: stable, with a late tightening
US prices stayed within a narrow range through July and August, with plants running normally and buying in balance. In September, a force majeure at Ascend and a power outage at the Joliet refinery reduced cyclohexane supply, while cyclohexanone prices in Texas rose each week.
Exports to Mexico and Canada took up the surplus and kept the domestic market balanced. Trucking shortages and precautionary buying during hurricane season added to the late tightness. The outlook expects firm prices in the near term.
Brazil: flat, with some upside
Brazil was effectively unchanged. Prices rose 0.81% in one week in mid-September, as European plant closures and a LANXESS surcharge reduced export supply to Brazil. Benzene supply stayed reliable thanks to record refinery utilization in August, and normal port operations at Santos kept prices from rising further. Stronger automotive demand made up for weak textile demand.
Japan: plenty of imports
Japan fell 3.47% as large volumes of Chinese and US exports competed for the market. Producers faced higher cyclohexanone and nitric acid costs but used lower-cost stocks to avoid raising prices. Demand from automotive, textile and engineering plastics buyers stayed weak, and buyers purchased only what they needed. A weaker yen and higher freight from Shanghai increased import costs somewhat but did not change the overall direction.
Germany: the largest decline
Germany fell 9.23%, the most of the four markets. Hamburg prices declined for 12 straight weeks through July. Plants ran steadily, stocks were comfortable, and weak demand for polyamide resins and automotive materials led buyers to delay purchases. Higher ammonia, nitric acid and cyclohexanone costs reduced producer margins but did not lift prices. Low water on the Rhine caused short supply delays but did not change the quarterly trend. The outlook expects some buying to rebuild stocks in Q4.
What this means for buyers and producers
1. Supply now matters more than cost. Feedstock costs went up in Q3, but large supply and weak demand still pushed prices down in Japan and Germany.
2. Watch for plant outages. The US tightening in September came from specific outages at Ascend and Joliet. With limited spare capacity, one outage can quickly tighten a regional market.
3. Europe’s capacity changes have effects abroad. European plant closures and the LANXESS surcharge reduced exports and supported prices in Brazil, even while German domestic prices fell.
4. Nylon demand is key. A recovery in automotive and engineering plastics demand is needed for prices to start rising again in a lasting way.
Conclusion
Adipic acid’s Q3 2026 shows a market that rose in the first half on cost increases and then slowed when demand didn’t follow. The Americas held steady and Asia and Europe gave back some of their gains. For buyers, the current softness is a chance to secure supply ahead of Q4 restocking. It is also important to monitor plant outages and hurricane season in the US, which can quickly change the balance.
📊 Explore full regional adipic acid price trends, drivers and forecasts on ChemAnalyst: https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/adipic-acid-1106
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