Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Mexico’s manufacturing contracts as US tariff concerns dampen confidence, job growth
WASHINGTON DC (ICIS)--Mexican manufacturing output contracted again in October with companies shedding jobs at the fastest pace in four months and business optimism fading due to mounting concerns...
ICIS US export price rounds out suite of ICE base oils futures contracts
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) will add US ICIS base oils benchmark prices to its suite of new future swaps contracts that will be launched on 8 December. The contracts are...
Asia base oils supply outlook: Week of 3 November
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s base oils prices extend fall vs gasoil prices, with Group II heavy-grade differentials slipping to lowest since start of Q3 2024. Source: ICIS Ongoing squeeze on base oils...
German caustic soda ECU contract margins rise in week ending 31 October, caustic soda values higher
LONDON (ICIS)--Average German membrane electrochemical unit (ECU) contract margins rose in the week ending 31 October, as chlorine and caustic soda were assessed higher. The NWE contract prices rose...
Asia base oils demand outlook: Week of 3 November
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s base oils demand likely to stay cautious in face of seasonal slowdown in consumption and expectations of healthy availability of supply. Firmer Group II prices in markets...
How a weak rubber supply chain threatens US national security
Irene Yurovska raises the alarm on US reliance on Chinese imports for critical chemical additives
Mechanochemical upcycling of Teflon creates valuable fluorinated molecules
Milling with sodium metal produces source of fluorine for chemical transformations
ICIS TTF Early Day assessments: 3 November 2025
- Temperatures in northwest Europe for the week started 3 November are expected above seasonal norms with wind power generation mixed from average to below average - MetDesk - A total of 18.10mcm/day...
S Korea isomer mixed xylene export prices rise on higher Dec bids
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Export prices for South Korea-origin isomer grade mixed xylenes (MX) are firmer on 3 November, tracking higher negotiations for December cargoes. With the start of the new month,...
Evonik sells Indonesia betaines ops to S Korea’s Aekyung Chemical
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Evonik and its joint venture (JV) partner Indonesia’s Sumi Asih have sold their betaines business in Bekasi, Indonesia, as it transitions to sustainable specialty chemicals, the...
Plant status: China’s PetroChina Fushun restarts SBR plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: PetroChina Fushun PC Location: Fushun, Liaoning, China Product: Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) Capacity (tonnes/year): 200,000 Event start: Late...
Stable to soft PE CFR East Med prices, pending additional GCC-origin offers
DUBAI (ICIS)--Polyethylene (PE) DEL Jordan prices remained stable during the week ended 31 October 2025, while CFR East Med prices followed a stable to soft price direction on the back of surfacing...
Plant status: Malaysia’s PRefChem to suspend BD operations with cracker maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Pengerang Refining and Petrochemical (PRefChem) Location: Pengerang, Malaysia Product: Butadiene (BD) Capacity (tonnes/year): 185,000 Event...
S Korea petrochemical Oct exports fall 22.0%; PMI contracts again
SINGAPORE (ICIS)- South Korea’s petrochemical shipments fell 22.0% year on year to $31 billion in October, while semiconductor exports remained robust, official data showed on 1 November....
Taiwan’s Da Fon automates rPE, rPP plants to boost efficiency
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Major recycled polyolefins producer Da Fon Environmental Technology (Da Fon) has achieved full automation at its recycled polyethylene (rPE) and recycled polypropylene (rPP) plants...
India PE prices hit fresh multi-year lows amid weak demand, softer offers
MUMBAI (ICIS)--India’s polyethylene (PE) prices slumped to fresh multi-year lows in the week ended 31 October 2025, pressured by weak downstream demand and softer offers in the market. Buyers...
FPCC cuts October BD contract in Taiwan
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Formosa Petrochemical Corp (FPCC) has set its October butadiene (BD) contract in Taiwan at $995/tonne, $88/tonne lower than September, a company source said. Its September BD...
Stable PP prices, slow trade activity in East Med ahead of November’s price announcements
DUBAI (ICIS)--Polypropylene (PP) prices in the East Mediterranean (East Med) market during the week ended 31 October 2025 remained stable, ahead of November's price announcements by major GCC-based...
SABIC says Saudi MTBE plant starts up; China JV complex 87% complete
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--SABIC said that the 1 million tonne/year methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) plant of its affiliate Petrokemya in Saudi Arabia has successfully started up ahead of plan in October,...
Asia titanium dioxide spot prices may be pressured on China seasonal lull
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia's titanium dioxide (TiO2) spot pricing may enjoy support at the start of November. However, as the China domestic market enters its seasonal lull, some makers may be tempted to...