Last week, the overall transaction price of DMC rose to 14,800 RMB/ton, realizing a full price increase in April. Stimulated by production suspension and order-holding from upstream suppliers, midstream and downstream buyers stepped up restocking to meet rigid demand. Coupled with ongoing deliveries of earlier orders and the fact that some monomer producers mainly use DMC for their own consumption, order lead times have generally been extended to early May, with a new round of price increases poised to launch. From a fundamental industry perspective, monomer manufacturers achieved substantial net profit growth in Q1, turning losses into gains. This turnaround reflects a structural recovery driven by the industry’s shift away from cutthroat competition. Following heavy losses across many monomer producers in 2025, this nearly five-month rebound marks the industry’s formal exit from the prisoner’s dilemma of vicious competition, with enhanced coordination among enterprises. In the short term, demand is expected to remain mostly rigid without significant expansion. However, supported by rising costs, the midstream and downstream sectors will complete the key transition from “price hikes” to “high-price transactions,” while acceptance of high-priced raw materials will also improve accordingly.