Paints and coatings: Trading
Why paint has list prices, not a market price
What this tab covers How it is bought and sold: buyers and sellers, price benchmarks and who publishes them, exchanges, contract types, traders, how Indian buyers price it, recent price points, and good sources to follow.Who buys, and where
- Paint is bought from local formulators; raw materials from China, South Korea, Taiwan, the Middle East and Europe
Who sells, and from where
- Through dealer and tinting networks (decorative), direct contracts (OEM, industrial, marine)
Price benchmarks
| Benchmark | Publisher | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| No paint price benchmark; raw material benchmarks: TiO2 CFR China/India, butyl acrylate CFR China, VAM Asia | ICIS; Argus; ChemAnalyst | weekly spot |
Exchanges
| Venue | Contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| None | no futures for paint | makers hedge only indirectly through crude or currency |
Contract types
- List prices to dealers with schemes and rebates
- Annual supply contracts with raw-material escalators for OEM and industrial
- Project tenders for protective and marine
Traders and distributors
- Not a traded commodity; raw materials move through distributors such as Brenntag, Univar and Indian chemical traders
How Indian buyers price it
- Brand list prices revised a few times a year; Asian Paints weighted increase about 7% in Q1 FY27 (PL Capital)
- Raw materials priced at import parity: TiO2 landed from China about Rs 2.05 lakh/t in the DGTR period (titanium_dioxide tile)
- DGTR anti-dumping duty on TiO2 from China raises input costs (titanium_dioxide tile)
Recent price points
| Date | Price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 FY27 (Apr-Jun 2026) | about 7% weighted price increase | Asian Paints decorative list prices | PL Capital, 29 Jul 2026 |
| FY2022 | about 22% cumulative price increase | Asian Paints decorative list prices | ICICI Direct Q2FY23 |
| 2025 | $3,200/t | TiO2 US average unit value (input) | USGS MCS 2026 via titanium_dioxide tile |
Good sources to follow
Coatings Worldfree newsletter · Rodman Mediaglobal coatings industry news and annual top companies report
PCI Magazine (Paint & Coatings Industry)free newsletter · BNP MediaGlobal Top 10 analysis, technology and market news
Businessworld paints coveragefree research site · BusinessworldIndian paint industry competition and growth
Zona de Pinturasfree blog · Zona de Pinturaspaint industry rankings and news (Spanish and English)