Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Europe methanol spot prices hit 2007 high, supply limitations drive continued uptrend
LONDON (ICIS)--Europe methanol spot prices climbed by 5% from the week prior, hitting their highest point since 2007. Spot prices were assessed at €458-482/tonne FOB (free on board) Rdam...
European acetone truck climb ongoing as feedstock propylene rockets
LONDON (ICIS)--European acetone spot truck prices rose again this week as supply remained tight and the prospect of a jump in propylene feedstock costs pushed some targets higher but also led buyers...
AFPM ’26: Indorama acquisition of India’s EPL offers high-value growth and packaging diversification – exec
SAN ANTONIO (ICIS)--Thailand-based Indorama Ventures Limited (IVL) planned acquisition of a majority stake in India-based packaging company EPL will give it a foothold in a fast growing market and...
Europe chemical tanker spot freight mixed as tonnage constraints and fuel costs dominate
LONDON (ICIS)--European chemical tanker spot freight markets delivered a mixed performance in the week ending 3 April, as some routes began to stabilize, some softened slightly while others continued...
Plant status: NexKemia Canada EPS facility turnaround set for mid-April
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: NexKemia Location: Mansonville, Quebec, Canada Product: Expandable polystyrene (EPS) Capacity (tonnes/year): 60,000 Event start: 14 April 2026...
Rising diesel fuel costs leading to freight surcharges in US chemical markets
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US chemical markets are adjusting rapidly to the surge in diesel fuel prices, with one producer announcing a fuel surcharge for road and rail shipments. Westlake North American...
Canada light vehicle sales fall 8.2% in March
TORONTO (ICIS)--Sales of light vehicles (autos and light trucks) in Canada fell 8.2% year on year to 170,000 units in March, according to an estimate by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants (DAC). March...
US economy adds 178,000 jobs in March, more than expected
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US nonfarm payroll employment rose by 178,000 month on month in March, following a 133,000 decline in February (revised from an initially reported 92,000 decline), the Bureau of Labor...
Brazil should suspend antidumping duties on US, Canada PE as war squeezes resins supply – Abiplast
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Brazil’s recently approved antidumping duties (ADDs) on polyethylene (PE) imports from the US and Canada are set to make a worsening supply crunch even more acute at a moment of...
China’s average PTA plants’ run rate falls on operation cuts
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plants have posted a lower average operating rate, because Fujian Billion, Hailun Chemical and Yisheng New Material trimmed operations. In...
China’s average PX plants’ run rate drops on turnaround, operation cuts
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s para-xylene (PX) plants have posted a lower average operating rate, as Qingdao Lidong shut its plant for maintenance and PetroChina Guangdong Petrochemical reduced...
China acetic acid run rate drops on plants shutdown
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China acetic acid plants’ average run rate decreased, mainly attributed to brief shutdowns at Jiangsu Sopo and Sinopec Great Wall. Both plants have been restarted in the week....
East China acetone inventories roll over this week
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Acetone inventories at Jiangsu ports in east China were at 40,000 tonnes in the week ended 3 April, ICIS data showed on Friday. The inventories were unchanged from 27 March,...
China underpins retirement of aging chemical plants in renewed push
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China is pushing through the phasing out of old chemical plants and will carry out an annual review on aging facilities from 2027, a government document showed. Facilities aged over...
INSIGHT: AI baseload premium – from token arbitrage to tons arbitrage
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--When a single AI facility can drop from roughly 450 megawatt(MW) to about 40MW in 36 seconds, the problem is no longer just power supply. It is grid stability. That is why the next...
East China DEG inventories decrease on limited arrivals
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Diethylene glycol (DEG) inventories at Jiangsu in east China fell by 22% from last Friday, as arrivals remained limited. The total inventories were at 34,200 tonnes on 3 April, down...
Plant status: China’s Huizhou Zhongxin to restart No 2 phenol/acetone unit
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Huizhou Zhongxin Chemical Location: Huizhou, Guangdong, China Product: Phenol and acetone Capacity (tonnes/year): 280,000 and 170,000...
China BD export offers slip from historic highs on lackluster domestic markets
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Some China producers of butadiene (BD) are starting to moderate their selling indications for export cargoes, taking into considering prevailing pricing realities in domestic...
China orders teapot refiners to maintain run rates to ensure fuel supply
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s top economic planner has instructed teapot refineries (also known as independents) not to cut operating rates, in efforts to maintain domestic fuel supply, market sources...
NYMEX: US natural gas falls to new six-month low
Front-month US natural gas futures moved slightly lower on 2 April, reaching a new multimonth low on rising domestic production as crude futures moved higher The May Henry Hub contract on NYMEX...