Industry News
Chemical Industry News
US acetone to remain bearish but balanced for remainder of 2025
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US acetone supply-and-demand fundamentals are unlikely to improve from its bearish stance for the rest of the year. Phenol run rates are currently below 60% with a force majeure in...
US August propylene contracts settle 2 cents/lb down to prior month
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US August propylene contract prices settled 2 cents/lb down from the prior month mainly due to low demand. US August contract prices for polymer-grade propylene (PGP) settled at 35.5...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Crude benchmarks edge down as weaker US demand concerns weigh on sentiment
End of driving season marked by upcoming Labor Day weekend Uncertainty over Russian crude makes many hesitant of taking large positions India-US relationship in flux as tariffs imposed this week US...
Fitch lowers US Celanese ratings to speculative grade
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Fitch Ratings lowered on Friday its credit rating for Celanese to speculative grade, joining S&P Global Ratings and Moody's Ratings. Moody's downgraded Celanese to Ba1 on 12...
INSIGHT: Chemical companies seek liquidity with infrastructure assets, but it will not be easy
NEW YORK (ICIS)--Monetizing ‘hidden’ assets such as infrastructure for chemical producers appears to be an increasingly attractive option, especially amid the prolonged industry downturn and...
US August consumer sentiment falls, inflation expectations rise
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US consumer sentiment fell in August, from July, but remained above May and April levels, the University of Michigan said in its final August consumer sentiment report on Friday. The...
Asia adipic acid high season expectations tempered with mixed sentiment
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--As Asia adipic acid heads into its traditional peak demand period over the next couple of months, mood in the market has ranged from cautious optimism to dour pessimism amid mixed...
More than 3 million Germans unemployed in August, highest in a decade
LONDON (ICIS)--The number of unemployed people in Germany exceeded the three million mark in August, rising by 46,000 from July to 3.025 million in August, according to data by the country’s...
US September 2025 benzene contract prices drop sharply from August
HOUSTON (ICIS)--On 29 August, the US September '25 benzene contract dropped almost 8% month on month and is now priced at $2.66/gal FOB (free on board) US Gulf ($799.70/tonne). Spot prices have...
Europe September BPA formula contract price falls to lowest since May 2025
LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe bisphenol A (BPA) formula contract price has moved lower in September, following relief in upstream phenol costs. The BPA formula contract price in September is at the...
Europe acetone domestic spot prices stable to soft but export volumes increasing
LONDON (ICIS)--European acetone spot free delivered (FD) prices were stable to soft this week. The market remains subdued ahead of what should be a busier month in September. However, there were...
PODCAST: Sustainably Speaking – US and Asia R-PET markets see sinking prices amid global oversupply, weak downstream demand
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Join Emily Friedman, ICIS US recycled plastics senior editor in Episode 5 of Sustainably Speaking alongside Arianne Perez, Asia recycled plastic senior editor, and Joshua Dill,...
Japan’s July base oils exports fall
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Japan’s base oils exports fell in July to the lowest in more than a decade as steadier domestic consumption left dwindling surplus supply available for overseas markets. The drop...
Italy’s July lube demand rises
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Italy’s lube demand rose in July for the fourth time in five months, adding to signs that Europe’s prolonged fall in lube consumption has bottomed out. Italy’s lube...
Europe EO contracts firm on upstream ethylene gains
LONDON (ICIS)--European ethylene oxide (EO) September contracts were assessed higher following the settlement of the upstream ethylene contract. The European ethylene contract reference price...
Europe R-HDPE bale and pellet prices roll over in August
LONDON (ICIS)--Europe recycled high density polyethylene (R-HDPE) mixed-coloured bale spot prices rolled over in August. Many players agree prices in June to cover July and August bale deliveries,...
ICIS GAS INSIGHT WEEK 35 NEWS IN BRIEF
This news summary was generated via Ask ICIS LONDON (ICIS)--Please find below a short summary of the key gas stories ICIS published in week 35. 1. Rangebound September gas prices expected in...
Europe September phenol contract down with feedstock benzene
LONDON (ICIS)--The September Europe phenol contract has fallen by €75/tonne, tracking the fall in the benzene contract for the same month. There is no energy surcharge on phenol contracts for...
Plant status: Saudi Arabia’s Sadara FM lifted on glycol ethers at Al Jubail
LONDON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Sadara Chemical Company Location: Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia Product: Glycol ethers Capacity (tonnes/year): 200,000 Event start: 2 July Event finish:...
Europe MEA, TEA prices settle at lower levels in August after Sadara FM is lifted
LONDON (ICIS)--Europe monoethanolamine (MEA) and triethanolamine (TEA) prices consolidated at lower levels in August as Saudi Arabia's Sadara restarted its ethanolamines unit after a force majeure...