Industry News
Chemical Industry News
India’s July base oils supply outpaces demand
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--India’s base oils supply exceeded demand in July, partially reversing a shortfall the previous month and enabling blenders to replenish low stocks. An expected seasonal dip in...
MARGINS: Europe MEG contract margins edge down amid slightly firmer naphtha, LPG costs
LONDON (ICIS)--Contract margins at monoethylene glycols (MEG) plants in Europe dropped week on week on the back of slightly firmer feedstock costs, ICIS Margin Analysis showed on Tuesday. In the week...
Argentina’s July lube demand falls
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Argentina’s lube demand fell in July against the backdrop of mixed signals about the country’s economic outlook, incentivizing blenders to maintain low stocks. Besides lower...
Europe DMT August price indicator falls on lower PX contract price
LONDON (ICIS)--The August contract indicator for Europe dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) went down, according to ICIS calculations. The assessed August range was, therefore, down by €6/tonne on both...
Europe PTA August prices down amid lower PX costs
LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe purified terephthalic acid (PTA) contract price for August has decreased, based on ICIS calculations. The August PTA contract price is down by €7/tonne to reach...
China ammonia imports down 9% in January-July 2025 year on year
LONDON (ICIS)--Imports of ammonia into China dropped by 9% in January-July 2025 year on year, according to customs data. Most of the volumes imported into China came from Indonesia, followed by Saudi...
PODCAST: AI will transform chemicals but with a human touch
BARCELONA (ICIS)--Chemical companies may see drastic AI-driven changes in sales, marketing, supply chain and product development but it will always augment, not replace humans. Companies need to work...
Canada July manufacturing sales estimated up 1.8% from June
TORONTO (ICIS)--Canada’s total manufacturing sales increased 1.8% in July, from June, according to a preliminary estimate by federal agency Statistics Canada (StatsCan) on Tuesday. The increase was...
PVC contract negotiations for August center on rollovers, small decreases
LONDON (ICIS)--Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) contract negotiations for August have centered on rollovers or decreases in line with feedstock trends, as the holiday season has limited any momentum for a...
ExxonMobil to sell Group III base oil in North America, plans to expand capacity
HOUSTON (ICIS)--ExxonMobil is introducing its Group III base oil slate, produced at its Baytown, Texas, facility, to the North American market and plans to expand Group III capacity with startup in...
Europe August PX contract price falls €10/tonne
LONDON (ICIS)--The European paraxylene (PX) contract price for August has settled at a decline of €10/tonne month on month amid lower prices in the influential Asian market and a stronger euro...
German caustic soda contract margins increase in week, ECU value rises
LONDON (ICIS)--Spot chlor-alkali contract margins in Germany increased in the week ending 22 August, on the back of higher electrochemical unit (ECU) values. Electricity prices were broadly stable...
Morocco DAP exports increase by 23% in H1 2025
LONDON (ICIS)--Exports of diammonium phosphate (DAP) out of Morocco increased by 23% in H1 2025 year on year, according to customs data. The top export destination was India, with almost one-third of...
Three winners withdraw from European Hydrogen Bank funding amid delayed infrastructure and regulatory uncertainty
LONDON (ICIS)--Three winners of the European Commission’s European Hydrogen Bank (EHB) auctions have withdrawn from the process, stepping back from around €589 million in funding amid unfavorable...
ANALYST VIEW: Germany emerges as LNG hub offering security of supply to Central Europe
By Andreas Schroeder SUMMARY German LNG terminals witnessed strong demand in 2025 with record import in early summer 2025. We expect utilisation rates to remain high for the coming years especially...
UREA: Urea global participant watch and wait for IPL tender results
India is clearly the focus for the global urea market. Early price expectations in the $500-520/tonne CFR range for the 2 million tonne import tender from National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), which...
South Korea imports 14% more ammonia in January-July year on year
LONDON (ICIS)--Imports of ammonia into South Korea increased by 14% in January-July 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, according to customs data. Indonesia exported almost half of the...
Teaching the next generation of cosmetic scientists
Trailblazing course receives accreditation from the Royal Society of Chemistry
The clean beauty movement highlights wider challenges in balancing chemical risks and benefits
The ‘clean beauty’ movement exemplifies broader challenges in how we evaluate chemical safety, balancing risks against benefits while avoiding regrettable substitutions.
The conceptual challenge of consumer safety
Understanding causation can motivate product improvements