Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Plant status: China’s PetroChina Liaoyang restarts PP unit
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: PetroChina Liaoyang Location: Liaoyang, China Product: Polypropylene (PP) Capacity (tonnes/year): 300,000 Event start: 20 December Event finish:...
OUTLOOK ’26: China MMA balance holds as domestic demand drives development
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--In 2026, the global methyl methacrylate (MMA) market is set to undergo a significant rebalancing as production capacity in Europe and Japan is phased out while new supply emerges in...
OUTLOOK ‘26: Asia PO to see increasing supply with demand set to remain sluggish
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The Asia Propylene Oxide (PO) spot market is set to see the impact of oversupply continuing into 2026 with demand not expected to experience a dramatic recovery for H1 2026 at...
East China xylene port inventories down as consumption outpaces arrivals
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Xylene inventories at east China ports decreased to 26,800 tonnes in the reporting period ended 25 December as consumption outpaced arrivals, according to ICIS data. The inventories...
East China toluene port inventory higher on more arrivals and less consumption
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Toluene inventory at east China ports increased to 43,800 tonnes in the reporting period ended 25 December on more arrivals and less consumption, according to ICIS data. The...
Plant status: Saudi Arabia’s SHARQ plans to shut No 1 MEG unit in January
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: SHARQ Location: Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia Product: Monoethylene glycol (MEG) Capacity (tonnes/year): 450,000 Event start: January 2026 Event...
Plant status: Saudi Arabia’s JUPC shuts No 1 MEG unit
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Jubail United Petrochemical Company (JUPC) Location: Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia Product: Monoethylene glycol (MEG) Capacity (tonnes/year): 700,000...
Plant status: Moeve Quimica restarts China phenol/acetone plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Moeve Quimica (Shanghai) Co., Ltd Location: Shanghai, China Product: Phenol and acetone Capacity (tonnes/year): 350,000 and 210,000 respectively...
Plant status: China’s Tianjin Bohai Chemical unexpectedly shuts its PO plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Tianjin Bohai Chemical Location: Tianjin, China Product: Propylene oxide (PO) Capacity (tonnes/year): 200,000 Event start: 24 December 2025...
China’s Sinopec achieves stable 150BS base oils production in 2025
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Sinopec’s Jinan Refinery and Jingmen Petrochemical have started stable production of 150BS base oils since March 2025, according to a company source. The comprehensive performance...
Plant status: China’s Tianjin Bohai Chemical shuts SM plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Tianjin Bohai Chemical Location: Tianjin, China Product: Styrene monomer (SM) Capacity (tonnes/year): 450,000 Event start: 24 December Event...
China’s Nov MTBE exports up 27% with more to Middle East and Europe
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) imports reached 627,920 tonnes in November, up by 27% month on month, data from the ICIS Supply & Demand Database showed. The top...
Plant status: China’s Shandong Jinghai Petrochemical restarts HDPE unit
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Shandong Jinghai Petrochemical Location: Heze, Shandong, China Product: High density polyethylene (HDPE) Capacity (tonnes/year): 400,000 Event...
China’s November C3 imports down year on year on weak downstream
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China imported 142,825 tonnes of propylene (C3) in November 2025, higher month on month but down year on year as the poor performance of polypropylene (PP) sector led to weak buying...
NYMEX: US gas futures edge down on lower LNG feedgas demand
Front-month US natural gas futures lowered on 24 December as LNG feedgas levels decreased The January 2026 Henry Hub contract on NYMEX settled at $4.242/MMBtu, down 3.8% from the previous session...
OUTLOOK ’26: US BDO market to face demand, export challenges
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The US butanediol (BDO) market is starting 2026 with depressed demand and no expectation for a near-term rebound, although the building of data centers and EV plants is generating...
OUTLOOK ’26: US benzene demand improves in late Q4 ’25 but skepticism for growth in aromatics demand remains
HOUSTON (ICIS)--For much of the past year, the US benzene market was depressed. Even after tariffs were introduced on most benzene from abroad, which limited year-on-year imports, benzene contract...
Argentina’s growth outlook holds at 4% despite recent setbacks; manufacturing woes rise
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Argentina's economic momentum stumbled in October with a surprise monthly contraction, but analysts maintain forecasts for +4% growth in 2026, although the petrochemicals-intensive...
Asia-US container rates mixed as 2025 ends with rates near year’s lows
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Shipping container rates from east Asia and China to the US were mixed this week, and rates to both coasts will end 2025 close to the lowest of the year. Rates to both coasts
OUTLOOK ’26: US OX, PA markets navigate reduced US production capacity
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US orthoxylene (OX) supply has been sufficient in 2025 to supply all downstream derivative demand. Prices of OX remained unseasonably high as we moved into autumn, primarily because...