Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Letters: November 2025
Readers discuss sustainable fuels, the magic of the placebo effect and the deaths of DFT and expensive calculators
Modular strategy opens up new way to synthesise arylated thiophene rings
Approach holds potential for creating new drugs and unique optoelectronic materials
Serbia’s researchers still at loggerheads with government one year into mass protests
Further restrictions could be put on academics that are already struggling with being limited to five hours research a week
Infrared and NMR fusion boosts automated structure verification
Study highlights untapped potential of IR spectroscopy data
ICIS Opinion: Why US LNG will not quickly return to China
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The US-China trade agreement announced by the White House earlier this week will not have an immediate impact on either spot LNG or long-term project development between the two...
Malaysian Lotte Chemical Titan’s Indonesia LINE project will save on import costs – minister
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Lotte Chemical Indonesia (LCI)’s plant in Merak, Cilegon is the largest petrochemcal complex in southeast Asia, Indonesia’s minister of energy and mineral resources Bahlil...
LANXESS Q3 earnings lower on weak economics, geopolitical uncertainties
LONDON (ICIS)--LANXESS’s third-quarter earnings were driven down by an ongoing weak economic environment and geopolitical uncertainties, with no upturn expected until well into 2026, it said on...
East China xylene port inventories down on lack of cargo arrivals
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Xylene inventories at east China ports decreased to 19,500 tonnes in the reporting period ended 6 November due to no arrivals, according to ICIS data. The inventories were down by...
East China toluene port inventory down as consumption outpaces arrivals
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Toluene inventory at east China ports decreased to 42,400 tonnes in the reporting period ended 6 November as consumption outpaces arrivals, according to ICIS data. The inventory was...
Suppressing side reactions brings efficiency boosts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
Two new strategies tackle Fischer–Tropsch’s problematic side reactions
ICIS TTF Early Day assessments: 6 November 2025
- The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) forecast on 6 November that most parts of the country have a 40–60% probability of above-normal temperature occurrence from 8 November to 7 December, while...
South Korea benzene exports for Oct fall as holiday-driven demand tapers off
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--South Korea exported 243,742 tonnes of benzene in October, according to sources familiar with the matter. In September, the country exported 280,671 tonnes of benzene, based on data...
Belgium’s Solvay Q3 net profit down on lower soda ash sales volumes
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Solvay’s underlying net profit from continuing operations fell by 15.2% year on year to €90 million in the third quarter amid lowered sales volumes compared with the same period...
China’s petchem market drops in Oct on oversupply, weak demand
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--In October, China's petrochemical market saw a pronounced downtrend as supply increased and demand retreated. The ICIS China Petrochemical Price Index fell 3.13% from the end of...
Asia MEG price weakness may extend to 2026 on rising capacity, dwindled demand
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The weakness in monoethyle glycol (MEG) spot pricing is set to extend into 2026 as expectations on rising supply and declining demand are likely to weigh on the spot market. Supply...
Global PE demand steady but shutdowns needed with more efficient supply coming on – NOVA CEO
ABU DHABI (ICIS--Global polyethylene (PE) demand is growing at about GDP levels but more supply coming on is weighing on the outlook, said the CEO of NOVA Chemicals. “We’ll probably see 3% global...
China’s oil majors expand gas and renewables push as energy transition accelerates
China’s oil majors expand natural gas and LNG output amid energy shift PetroChina and CNOOC post strong gas growth; Sinopec leads in hydrogen Renewables and low-carbon projects gain momentum across...
Plant status: China’s Zhenhua Petrochemical shuts PBR plant for maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Zhenhua Petrochemical Location: Dongying, Shandong, China Product: Polybutadiene Rubber (PBR) Capacity (tonnes/year): 100,000 Event start: Early...
Plant status: Japan’s Mitsui Chemicals idles Chiba phenol/acetone unit
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Mitsui Chemicals Location: Chiba, Japan Products: Phenol; acetone Capacity (tonnes/year): 190,000 (phenol); 114,000 (acetone) Event start: 30...
INSIGHT: South Korea petrochemical industry restructuring urgent
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--As South Korea’s petrochemical companies continues to battle for survival amid a global oversupply and weak demand, the government has stepped up calls for the country’s...