Industry News
Chemical Industry News
CRUDE SUMMARY: Oil prices up as US sanctions on Russian crude bite
Russian oil firm invokes force majeure at Iraqi oil field Pressure will continue to build on Russia if US persists with aggressive sanction implementation Latest US inventory numbers will be released...
Brazil chemicals sales up in 2025 but deficit up to new high on relentless cheaper imports
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Brazil's chemical industry closed 2025 with net revenue of $167.8 billion, up 2.9% year on year, but pressure coming from competitive imports pushed the sector's trade deficit to a...
BASF starts up new automotive coatings plant in Germany
LONDON (ICIS)--BASF has started up a new automotive OEM coatings plant at its existing coatings production site in Munster, Germany. The plant produces colors that currently represent the majority of...
German caustic soda ECU contract margins rise in week ending 7 November, energy costs slightly lower
LONDON (ICIS)--Average German membrane electrochemical unit (ECU) contract margins rose in the week ending 7 November, on the back of lower electricity costs. The electrochemical unit (ECU) value...
European BD export prices slide on Asia downturn; local demand remains lackluster
LONDON (ICIS)--The European butadiene (BD) mood has become gloomier in November as prices in Asia reach multi-year lows, resulting in lower European export prices. Export opportunities towards Asia...
AI-designed antibodies target antigens with atomic precision
Epitope-binding proteins designed from scratch by generative AI model
Just 29% of the UK public have a personal interest in R&D
Survey results suggest ‘broad but shallow’ public support for research sector
Europe VAM supply long, little impact from planned turnarounds
LONDON (ICIS)--November contract talks continue on the European vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) market amid steady market conditions. Supply of VAM remains long despite planned turnarounds at key...
South African Lawsuit challenges Sasol’s ethylene monopoly
Plastics producer Safripol says high prices mean it can’t compete with imported materials
China Oct vehicles sales grow 8.8% on year to 3.32 million units
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s vehicles markets continued robust trend in October, with sales rising by 8.8% on year to 3.32 million and production up by 12.1% to 3.36 million, data from China...
China’s October phenol, acetone combined output rises 3.68% month on month
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s combined output of phenol and acetone were up by 3.68% month on month to 754,700 tonnes in October 2025, due to stable operation of most units. A total of 468,500 tonnes...
S Korea benzene exports in early Nov up on month – sources
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--South Korea exported some 92,799 tonnes of benzene in the first 10 days of November, according to sources familiar with the market. For the first 10 days of October, South Korea had...
ICIS TTF Early Day assessments: 11 November 2025
- Brent crude softened during the Asian trading hours as the market focused on the risk of oversupply and lower global demand. Russian supply risk, magnified by recent wave of US sanctions on...
PetroChina identifies 19 “aging” refining, petrochemical units in China
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Chinese petrochemical major PetroChina has identified 19 of its domestic refining and petrochemical plants are "aging", with decision on what would be done to these units resting on...
Japan Mitsui Chemicals Apr-Sept net profit falls 65% amid lower selling prices
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Mitsui Chemicals’ April-September net profit plunged by 64.7% to yen (Y) 7.8 billion, weighed by inventory valuation losses at its chemical units stemming from the drop in raw...
Pfizer wins bidding war for Metsera and its weight-loss drugs
US firm matched Novo Nordisk’s rival bid and had backing of competition regulator
Plant status: China’s Sichuan Yongying shuts BDO plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Sichuan Yongying New Material Location: Nanchong, Sichuan, China Product: 1,4-butanediol (BDO) Capacity (tonnes/year): 180,000 Event start: 11...
IVL, Jiaren Chemical Recycling form JV for rPET
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Indorama Ventures Ltd's (IVL) fibers business has formed a joint venture (JV) with China-based Jiaren Chemical Recycling, a firm specializing in chemical polyester recycling...
Singapore Aster, Aether Fuels sign deal to build SAF facility
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Singapore-based Aster Chemicals and Energy (Aster) on Tuesday said that it has signed an agreement with Aether Fuels on Tuesday to develop a commercial-scale sustainable aviation...
Plant status: China Yihai Kerry to restart ECH units in H2 Dec
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Yihai Kerry Location: Lianyungang, China Product: Epichlorohydrin (ECH) Capacity (tonnes/year): 50,000 + 50,000 + 50,000 Event start: 7 November...