Industry News
Chemical Industry News
US trade deficit widens in May as exports fall
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The US goods and services deficit widened by 18.7% month on month to $71.5 billion in May, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported on Thursday. Exports fell 4.0% from April to $279.0...
US EO June contracts assessed at increase on rising ethylene prices
HOUSTON (ICIS) – US ethylene oxide (EO) June contracts were assessed at a 1 cent/lb increase from May as a result of increasing upstream ethylene contract prices. Recently, ethylene spot prices...
Europe Melamine spot prices stable-to-soft on slow demand, import pressure
LONDON (ICIS)--European melamine spot prices were assessed stable-to-soft this week due to slow demand and continued import pressure. Spot prices were assessed at a €10/tonne decrease on the upper...
INSIGHT: US-Vietnam trade deal a template for SE Asia; US PE exports could benefit
NEW YORK (ICIS)--The US-Vietnam trade deal, which includes US tariffs on imports from Vietnam but exempts US exports from tariffs, should serve as a template for potential agreements with other...
US core factory orders rebound 1.7% in May
LONDON (ICIS)--US core factory orders rose 1.7% month on month in May, following a 1.5% April decline, according to US Census Bureau data released on Thursday. The core factory orders measure -...
Europe SBR spot prices stable to soft on declining feedstocks
LONDON (ICIS)--European styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) spot prices were stable to soft after feedstock costs eased in July. The European styrene July barge contract price was assessed at...
Trump’s tariff deadline: LNG markets await impact from end of pause
Pause on tariffs scheduled to end on 8 July, unless extended LNG demand could slow Chinese buyers likely to redirect US cargoes HOUSTON (ICIS)--A 90-day pause on global tariffs will end on 8 July for...
ExxonMobil seeks August price increase on US PP
HOUSTON (ICIS)--ExxonMobil has announced a price increase of 3 cents/lb ($66/tonne) to all grades of polypropylene resins as of 1 August in addition to any propylene monomer price changes, according...
Plant status: Total ends PP FM at Feluy, Belgium site
LONDON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report. Name: TotalEnergies Location: Feluy, Belgium Product: Polypropylene (PP) Capacity (tonnes/year): 720,000 total Event start: 13 February 2025 Event...
Europe AA and acrylate esters sluggish as summer slowdown sets in
LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe acrylic acid (AA) acrylate ester markets have seen spot prices remain stable this week. Activity on all the spot markets has been subdued due to persistent weak demand and...
ATOME receives $50 million from Green Climate Fund for Paraguay green fertilizer project
LONDON (ICIS)--ATOME has received $50 million in concessional finance from the Green Climate Fund for its Villeta green fertilizer project in Paraguay, the UK-listed producer said. The finance will...
Brazil’s May base oils supply matches demand
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Brazil’s base oils supply stayed higher than usual in May for a second month, boosted by the arrival of a swathe of cargoes from the US. Firm supply contrasted with a sustained...
India base oils supply equals demand in May
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--India’s base oils supply held steady in May as firm imports balanced out lower domestic output amid a round of plant-maintenance work. The firm supply volumes more than matched...
Above average temperatures likely to support UK electricity demand through the rest of summer
UK temperatures are set to average above the norm through the rest of the summer This is likely to support cooling demand, therefore increasing electricity demand, with power demand in June already...
Ukrainian gas imports on the rise amid fourth Poland-Ukraine LNG deal
Orlen’s gas exports to Naftogaz reach 440 million cubic meters year-to-date Polish exports to Ukraine rising amid extension of temporary increase in capacity Imports likely to grow but Slovak route...
US services sector expands, following May contraction
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Following a mild contraction in May, economic activity in the US services sector expanded again in June, as measured by the latest services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) survey...
What’s the point of the Synthetic Human Genome Project?
Why are scientists working to recreate the human genome from scratch?
Wellcome backing gets project to recreate human genome from scratch off the ground
Effort to synthesise human genome will likely take decades but should provide insight into disease
US charity launches $100 million green chemistry initiative
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to fund seven year project headed by sustainable chemistry pioneer Paul Anastas
Getting good at human tasks
’What do you mean you had to lock the NMR with an oscilloscope and shim the magnet by hand?’