PTA：油价冲高回落 PTA高位震荡对待

Market Overview - On January 6, PTA futures experienced fluctuations and closed higher, with a relatively positive trading atmosphere in the spot market. The spot basis fluctuated within a range, with concentrated transactions in early January [1] - The main spot basis was at 05-46, with transactions occurring at 05-47 to 05-48 and later at 05-45 and 05-42 [1] Profitability - As of January 6, the PTA spot processing fee was around 296 yuan/ton, while the processing fees for TA2603 and TA2605 futures were 329 yuan/ton and 336 yuan/ton, respectively [1] Supply and Demand - Supply: As of January 4, Dushan Energy's 2.5 million tons facility resumed operations, while Zhongtai's 1.2 million tons facility restarted at low capacity. Weilian Chemical's 2.5 million tons facility increased its output, resulting in a PTA operating rate of 78.1% [1] - Demand: As of January 4, there was a mix of facility restarts and maintenance, with polyester operating rates at approximately 90.8%. On January 6, there were localized adjustments in the price of polyester yarn, with individual sales performance varying. Factory inventory levels were relatively low, but inventory slightly increased due to insufficient sales. If raw material prices stabilize, short-term prices are expected to remain steady, with attention on upcoming holiday and maintenance plans [1] Market Outlook - With the recovery of PTA processing fees, uncertainties regarding PTA facility maintenance in Q1 have increased. Some facilities are returning to supply, while downstream polyester production is expected to decrease seasonally before and after the Spring Festival, leading to heightened expectations of inventory accumulation for PTA in Q1. The combination of high supply, weak demand, and significant losses will gradually highlight the pressure on polyester factories, prompting some to implement production cuts and maintenance plans for January and February. The supply-demand outlook for PTA in January is expected to weaken, with limited self-driven momentum for PTA, primarily following raw material fluctuations. The strategy suggests PTA will oscillate between 5000-5200 in the short term, with a low bullish approach in the medium term [1]