纯碱月刊：节前备货有限 金九成色不足（202509期）

Group 1: Market Overview - The domestic soda ash market is currently experiencing a weak and stable trend, with prices fluctuating within a narrow range. As of now, the mainstream price for light soda ash is between 980-1600 RMB/ton, while heavy soda ash is priced at 980-1480 RMB/ton [1] - The market began the month with a downward trend due to high inventory and weak demand, particularly in North and South China. However, by mid-month, prices stabilized and saw slight increases in some regions due to supply constraints and pre-holiday stocking [1][2] - By the end of the month, the market showed signs of slight recovery, but overall demand remained sluggish, leading to a narrow price range with limited upward momentum [1][2] Group 2: Price Comparison - In September, the price of light soda ash in Northeast China decreased by 1.68% compared to August, while heavy soda ash dropped by 3.19%. In North China, light soda ash prices fell by 4.24%, and heavy soda ash decreased by 3.19% [3] - The price index for light soda ash as of September 28 was 1185.71, reflecting a decrease of 0.24% from the beginning of the month, while the heavy soda ash index increased by 0.93% [4] Group 3: Supply and Demand Dynamics - The supply of soda ash is expected to recover to high levels due to limited maintenance in the upcoming month, while overall industry inventory remains high, leading manufacturers to focus on sales to reduce stock [6] - The soda ash production in August was 3.281 million tons, showing a year-on-year increase of 2.92% and a month-on-month increase of 5.87% [16] - The operating rate of soda ash enterprises in August was approximately 85.25%, reflecting a slight increase of 4.09% from the previous month [18] Group 4: Import and Export Analysis - In August, China imported 0.03 thousand tons of soda ash, a significant year-on-year decrease of 99.64% and a month-on-month decrease of 90.98%. Cumulatively, from January to August, imports totaled approximately 2.07 thousand tons, down 97.68% from the previous year [9] - Conversely, soda ash exports in August reached 21.54 thousand tons, marking a year-on-year increase of 158.11% and a month-on-month increase of 33.56%. From January to August, total exports amounted to 136.94 thousand tons, up 132.58% year-on-year [12]