Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Canada cuts tariffs on EVs from China
TORONTO (ICIS)--Canada will reduce its tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) from China, and in return China will cut its retaliatory tariffs on Canadian canola seeds and other products, the Canadian...
Quantum dot pioneer and Nobel prize winner Louis Brus dies at 82
Brus shared the 2023 chemistry Nobel prize with Alexei Ekimov and Moungi Bawendi
Europe acetone market tightens on DOMO announcement
LONDON (ICIS)--European acetone supply is under pressure this week from a combination of supply-side factors. While underlying demand is no better, sources say the DOMO insolvency announcement has...
Plant status: Spain’s Elix Polymers FM on specialty ABS powder to continue until late Q1
LONDON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Elix Polymers Location: Tarragona, Spain Products: Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) – only high rubber powder grade 158I Capacity...
Europe oxo-alcohols prices mixed across grades
LONDON (ICIS)--European oxo-alcohols spot prices were assessed stable for 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH), while n-butanol (NBA) prices softened at the low end. Isobutanol (IBA) prices firmed, supported by...
Europe DINP, DPHP prices soften on lower feedstock costs, soft demand
LONDON (ICIS)--European plasticizer spot prices were assessed lower for diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and dipropyl heptyl phthalate (DPHP), while dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) prices kept stable....
GAS ALERT: France activates locational spreads for second time in week 3 amid worsening congestion
LONDON (ICIS)--French gas grid operators Terega and NaTran have activated locational spreads for the second time in week 3, as grid congestion worsened at the SN3 limit on 16 January. Locational...
Asia MA market mixed as costs firm, downstream demand subdued
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s maleic anhydride (MA) markets showed mixed conditions in mid-January, as cost pressures were largely offset by cautious downstream demand. In Southeast Asia, prices were...
Hungary, Ukraine extend firm gas capacity at shared border through Q2, increase large price step
Firm capacity at VIP Bereg extended for Q2 Quarterly auction large price step increased to 50% Bereg still cheapest supply route to Ukraine LONDON (ICIS)--Hungarian and Ukrainian grid operators FGSZ...
Asia PA market firms on cost-driven feedstock; demand remains cautious
SINGAPORE (ICIS)-- Phthalic anhydride (PA) markets across Asia strengthened in mid-January, driven by rising feedstock costs, while downstream demand remained subdued. In China, higher orthoxylene...
China December acetic acid output rises on plant restart
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s overall production of acetic acid in December 2025 surged, mainly attributed to the plant restart at Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical (ZPC). The output in December stood...
Slow start for Europe’s olefins, but spot prices off December’s lows
LONDON (ICIS)--It has been a typically slow start to the new year, but ethylene and propylene spot prices have shown a firmer tendency, moving away from the lows of November and December. Ethylene...
Ammonia buyers hesitate as tight supply, CBAM uncertainty cloud market
LONDON (ICIS)--Ammonia buyers are hesitating to re-enter the market due to tight availability and uncertainty about the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). European demand picking up slowly...
Plant status: China’s Sichuan Ko Yo restarts its methanol plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Ko Yo Chemical Location: Guang'an, Sichuan, China Product: Methanol Capacity (tonnes/year): 500,000 Event start: 3 Dec 2025 Event end: 15 Jan...
Europe’s Group II base oils price hits multiyear low
LONDON (ICIS)--Europe’s Group II base oils started the year hitting a multiyear low amid healthy inventories, strong imports and subdued demand, despite rising freight costs. Spot prices saw some...
China’s average PX plants’ run rate up on Fujia Dahua’s full-load operation
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s para-xylene (PX) plants have posted a higher average operating rate, because Fujia Dahua has maintained full capacity operation at its two lines. The producer now has a...
China’s average PTA plants’ run rate falls on unit shutdowns
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plants have posted a lower average operating rate due to turnarounds at INEOS Zhuhai’s No 3 plant and Yisheng New Material’s No 2...
Plant status: China’s Sinopec Yangzi shuts LLDPE line
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Location: Nanjing, Jiangsu, China Product: Liner low density polyethylene (LLDPE) Capacity (tonnes/year): 260,000...
China Group II base oils sentiment improving on downstream demand recovery
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Since early January, sentiment in China’s Group II base oils market has been improving significantly compared with the end of December, largely because a downstream demand...
East China acetone inventories down by 14% to 28,000 tonnes
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Acetone inventories at Jiangsu ports in east China have decreased to 28,000 tonnes in the week ended 16 January, ICIS data showed on Friday. The inventories were down by 14% from...