Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Asia polyester market declines on feedstock rout, slow post-holiday demand
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia polyester market headed south after China’s extended National Day holiday following the recent slump seen in feedstock prices and bleak demand forecast. Spot discussions for...
FBH spin-off Rydberg Photonics: powering quantum technology with next-generation photonic solutions
Berlin-based start-up Rydberg Photonics GmbH developments target a new generation of compact, scalable, and robust photonic solutions. The initial portfolio includes hybrid-integrated laser systems and optical frequency references – essential building blocks for quantum applications from
Driving Reactions with Light – and without Solvents
Light is an environmentally friendly energy source for chemical reactions. However, large quantities of harmful solvents have been required to ensure that light, due to its poor penetration depth, reaches the areas where it is
Sustainable Plastics from Plants
As a by-product from the wood and paper industries, millions of tonnes of lignin – which provides an important support function in the cells of woody plants – are accumulated worldwide each year. Although widely
India PE prices slump to multi-year lows, restocking expected post-Diwali
MUMBAI (ICIS)--India’s polyethylene (PE) demand continued to remain sluggish amid subdued downstream operations ahead of the Diwali festival and limited spot offers, resulting in PE prices...
Singapore Q3 GDP grows 2.9% on year, stronger than expected
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Singapore's economy expanded by 2.9% year on year in the third quarter of 2025, compared with 4.5% in Q2, official preliminary data showed on 14 October. On a quarter-on-quarter...
More polyolefins players turn to local distribution to stay competitive
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--A business model centered on the sales and distribution of polymer resins within a domestic market environment may not be a new one, but as global trade flows and import market...
INSIGHT: Arb headwinds, dour fundamentals to colour NEA C2 2026 term talks
XI’AN (ICIS)--With the US-China trade relationship taking yet another battering with a new round of tit-for-tat tariffs, the 2025 Enmore Contract Season trade conference starting this week in...
Plant status: China’s Tianjin Bohai Chemical Group shuts PDH plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Tianjin Bohai Chemical Group Location: Tianjin, China Product: Propylene Capacity (tonnes/year): 600,000 Event start: 13 October 2025 Event...
NYMEX: US gas futures rise on tighter production, despite dip in feedgas demand
US natural gas futures climbed on 13 October on tighter production, despite reduced feedgas demand to some LNG plants The November ’25 front-month contract settled at $3.118/MMBtu, up less than 1%...
‘Air pocket’ for 2026 commodity chem profit estimates, but positive catalysts for Olin – KeyBanc
NEW YORK (ICIS)--2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for US-based commodity chemical companies are likely still much too high with little signs of a demand recovery amid lingering overcapacity,...
Energy transition shifts to ‘energy addition’ – Aramco CEO
NEW YORK (ICIS)--The global energy transition theme is shifting to one of “energy addition”, said the CEO of Saudi Aramco. “Much of the promised progress has not been delivered, with many...
Brazil’s PET recyclers slash output amid demand collapse
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recyclers in Brazil are separately reducing operating rates in October due to weaker-than-expected demand, as widely available and low-cost virgin...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Oil prices higher on prospect of US-China meeting
Prospect of Trump-Xi meeting later this month boosts sentiment China’s September crude imports up 3.9% over the year OPEC monthly report highlights dwindling supply deficit next year LONDON...
US economists more upbeat on growth but tariffs still downside risk – NABE
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--US economic growth forecasts have been revised upward while downside risk perceptions have declined significantly, according to the latest economic outlook survey by the National...
INSIGHT: Mexico’s Sheinbaum breaks political standards in plan to fix Pemex, but timeline too optimistic
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is aiming to address the challenges facing state-owned oil company Pemex early in her tenure, but her administration may be optimistic in...
APLA ’25: Latin America petrochemicals downturn reaches debt crisis point
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Latin American petrochemicals producers continue facing pressure and the crisis has hit the region’s largest producer Braskem, currently exploring options for its financial...
FBMC WEEKLY: Low wind set to keep spot prices elevated in week 42
LONDON (ICIS)--Low wind output across most of the flow-based market coupling (FBMC) region is expected to be the key driver keeping spot prices bullish, which could be further amplified by dry...
Serbia’s new Russian gas deal up in the air amid sanctions crisis
Russia’s Gazprom offers Serbia extension to current gas deal until New Year in place of new contract Russia threatening gas supply for leverage amid NIS-Gazprom sanctions tension – Serbian...
The molecular mechanisms behind cell cognition
Condensate formation is central to how budding yeast cells decide their response to environmental and internal conditions