100% cotton yarn market sentiment was quite dull with yarn producers generally lifting prices pressured by hikes in high-quality cotton prices. More weaving mills were off production for holiday in China, leaving only few producers to hold on till the year-end. In India, although cotton prices cotton yarn prices increased on both domestic and export markets. Polyester spun yarn producers were heard closing for New Year Holidays in China but some were still operating and pre-stocking fibre at lower price.
In Pakistan, PSF prices were strongly rising after new anti-dumping duties on Chinese fibers boosted import prices while raw material costs also surged in the meantime. Spun rayon yarn prices stopped rising during the week for 100% viscose. Operating rates are relatively high at 80%, reflecting a not-so-weak activity in this period of the year. The rayon spun yarn markets were clearly stabilized in the week in China. It is expected that spun yarn sentiment will be corrected. Similar was the case with blended yarns. By the end of December, export prices of spun yarns in India had risen 5-6% compared to the beginning of the month. However, this new rise was not absorbed by the market and prices began falling in January. In China, blended yarn trading volume of polyester-viscose yarn 40s/2 went up, while its prices stayed calm. Polyester-cotton yarn prices remained unchanged, but transaction volume was low.