Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Asia capro stays long on high run rates, outpaces downstream use
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Weak fundamentals continue to weigh on spot caprolactam (capro) prices on both fronts, with strong supply outpacing soft downstream consumption. Producers in China are maintaining...
Asia nylon expansion weighs on market amid weak pre-holiday demand
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Demand showed limited sign of rebound ahead of China's National Day Golden WeekNational Day holiday (1-8 October), weighed by poor end-use consumption. Capacity expansions in China...
China’s DAP port inventories stable at 210,000 tonnes on no arrivals
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s diammonium phosphate (DAP) port inventories were around 210,000 tonnes on 25 September as there were no new cargoes arriving at the ports, ICIS data showed. The...
Plant status: Saudi’s Sipchem IMC begins methanol unit turnaround
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: International Methanol Company (IMC) Location: Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia Product: Methanol Capacity (tonnes/year): 970,000 Event start: 21...
Plant status: PetroChina Guangxi shuts PP unit for maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: PetroChina Guangxi PC & RF Location: Guangxi, China Product: Polypropylene (PP) Capacity (tonnes/year): 200,000 Event start: 20 September...
Plant status: China’s Jincheng Petchem to shut base oils unit in end-Sep
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Location: Zibo, Shandong, China Product: Group II base oils Capacity (tonnes/year): 600,000 Event start:...
Indonesia court overturns Singapore’s Wilmar corruption case acquittal
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The Supreme Court of Indonesia has overturned the acquittals of three major palm oil groups on corruption charges involving cooking oil export permits during a shortage crisis in...
China’s August ACN exports up as capacity expands
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China exported 31,581 tonnes of acrylonitrile (ACN, HS Code 29261000) in August 2025, higher month on month and year on year as domestic capacity expands, according to the ICIS...
China major producers’ polyolefin inventories down further on pre-holiday restocking
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The combined polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) inventories of Chinese state-owned petrochemical giants Sinopec and PetroChina continued falling on buyers’ restocking...
US October methanol contract prices rise
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US October methanol contract prices rose, following recent increases in spot prices. Article by Jessie Waldheim and Kevin...
Chem trough is much deeper than past downcycles – banker
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The downturn in the chemical industry is much deeper than past cycles, a stock analyst and banker said on Thursday. For years, 10-year cycles characterized the chemical industry,...
NYMEX: US gas futures gain softened by gas storage increase
US natural gas futures rose on 25 September, despite an increase in working gas inventories The October 2025 Henry Hub contract on NYMEX settled at $2.904/MMBtu, up 1.6% from the previous session The...
Brazil extends 20% import tariffs on several chemicals as global woes keep hitting home
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Brazil has extended for 12 more months the current import tariffs on numerous chemicals and polymers, which were hiked sharply in October 2024. Among affected products are commonly...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Crude benchmarks finish mixed after profit taking, following weakening equity market
US job losses data eased for second week running, easing fears of weakening labor market US Q2 GDP growth upgraded, Q1 downgraded as US tariff policy injects volatility into US economy Reports that...
US HB Fuller prepares for slow growth, more weakness in manufacturing
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Manufacturing is showing signs of further weakening in what will likely be a continuation of a slow growth environment, US-based adhesives producer HB Fuller said on Thursday....
EPCA ’25: HCl market balanced by force majeure, weak demand
LONDON (ICIS)--The European hydrochloric acid (HCl) market is balanced, with weak demand counterweighed by production issues, according to market players on the sidelines of the 59th annual European...
Italy’s August lube demand rises
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Italy’s lube demand rose in August for the fifth time in six months from year-earlier levels as strong automobile-lube consumption outweighed a drop in industrial oils demand. The...
Argentina’s August base oils supply rises
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Argentina’s base oils supply rebounded in August amid a simultaneous recovery in output and imports. Supply got a further boost from a pause in exports and weaker domestic demand,...
How does Clarivate pick its potential Nobel prize winners?
Chemistry World talks to the head of research analysis at the Institute for Science Information on how they decide which researchers are producing Nobel-worthy research
Novo Nordisk’s new chief cuts 9000 jobs
Danish firm shifts strategy after struggling to capitalise on its weight loss drugs