SunSirs: Plastics and Rubber Industries Bulk Commodity Intelligence (September 21, 2026)

Macroeconomics

1. [Electricity Consumption] National Energy Administration: In August 2026, total electricity consumption across society once again exceeded the one-trillion-kilowatt-hour mark, reaching 1.0332 trillion kWh—a year-on-year increase of 1.7%. Peak power load hit a record high of 1.56 billion kilowatts, exceeding the previous year's peak by 49.69 million kilowatts; the peak load surpassed the prior year's maximum on seven separate days. From January to August, cumulative electricity consumption totaled 7.173 trillion kWh, up 4.3% year-on-year.

2. [US-Iran Conflict] Majed Al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on the 20th that Qatar is maintaining communication with both the US and Iran to push for a resumption of negotiations. He noted that multiple US government officials have indicated a desire to reach an agreement and end the conflict.

Plastics and Rubber

1. [PVC] Zhenyang Development announced plans to temporarily suspend production at its 300,000-tonne/year vinyl new material unit (PVC unit) and conduct maintenance on major equipment in order to reduce operating losses and improve unit performance.

2. [Butadiene Rubber] In August 2026, China's import volume of butadiene rubber was 8,243.18 tonnes, down 37.58% month-on-month; the export volume was 38,012.7 tonnes, down 6.07% month-on-month.

3. [Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR)] In August 2026, China's import volume of SBR was 28,846.94 tonnes, down 19.06% month-on-month; the export volume was 26,786.37 tonnes, down 0.37% month-on-month. 4. [Nitrile Rubber] In August 2026, China's total exports of nitrile rubber stood at 2,156.887 tonnes, down 16.52% month-on-month; total imports amounted to 5,282.477 tonnes, down 26.91% month-on-month.