Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Magnetic cooling – using a frustrated desert mineral
Natural crystals fascinate with their vibrant colors, their nearly flawless appearance and their manifold symmetrical forms. But researchers are interested in them for quite different reasons: among the countless minerals already known, they always discover
How urea forms spontaneously
Urea is considered a possible key molecule in the origin of life. ETH researchers have discovered a previously unknown way in which this building block can form spontaneously on aqueous surfaces without the need for
US plastic group expects demand boost from tariff-driven auto investments
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Automobile producers that are increasing US production to avoid recent tariffs could stimulate demand for parts made from plastics, the economist for a trade group said on Tuesday....
US July benzene contract settles up slightly from June, remains significantly down year on year
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US July benzene contracts rose 3 cents/gal from June and settled at $2.72/gal FOB (free on board) US Gulf ($817.74/tonne) for multiple market participants by 1 July. The monthly...
Mexico’s manufacturing downturn extends to one year as US demand weakens
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Mexico's petrochemicals-intensive manufacturing sector remained in contraction during June, marking its 12th consecutive month on the red, with declines in domestic and...
SHIPPING: Asia-US container rates continue to face downward pressure on capacity influx
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Rates for shipping containers from east Asia and China to the US will continue to face downward pressure on capacity increases to the major trade lane. Market intelligence group...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Oil prices up as weak dollar supports demand in non-dollar countries
Ongoing weakening of US dollar seems to be supporting crude benchmarks News out of OPEC+’s monthly meeting on 6 July is still key to long-term prices Relative calm around US trade policy could end...
Brazil’s manufacturing falls deeper into contraction as new orders dry up
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Brazil's petrochemicals-intensive manufacturing sector posted a sharper downturn in June as new export orders dropped substantially, driving the fastest deterioration in operating...
US construction spending continues to fall in May, spending on plants off 0.1%
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Following a 0.4% April decline, US construction spending fell 0.3% month on month to an estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,138.2 billion in May, according to US Census...
FBMC Monthly: Heatwaves and low wind could cause price spikes in second half of July
Additional reporting by Laura Mendes LONDON (ICIS)--Power spot prices across the flow-based market coupling (FBMC) region could rise significantly in the second half of July due to the forecast...
UREA: MOPCO sell two 5,000 tonne lots at $455/tonne FOB for July
In Egypt, MOPCO has sold two lots of 5,000 tonnes each at $455/tonne FOB for July loading. It was the first sale from MOPCO since 20...
German caustic soda ECU contract margins fall as ECU value decreases
LONDON (ICIS)--German spot chlor-alkali contract margins fell in the week ending 27 June, on the back of lower electrochemical unit (ECU) values. Costs were slightly lower week on week, as energy...
US manufacturing contracts for fourth month, prices paid continue to rise
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector contracted for a fourth consecutive month in June, according to the latest purchasing managers’ index (PMI) survey by the Institute...
Investment funds positioning may offer clues for firmer summer TTF price direction
Investment funds continue to build net length in the TTF despite the recent price correction Funds positioning may play a key role in shaping the balance-of-summer price direction European gas...
France continues to import power amid heat-risk driven nuclear woes
France ramps up power imports following nuclear risks French, German, UK power spot prices spiked as high French river temperatures curtail nuclear production in week 27 France could continue to...
US July BD contracts down on long supply
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The July ICIS butadiene (BD) Contract Reference Price settled 1.50 cents/lb lower as supply remains long both regionally and globally. The ICIS price is a direct average of the four...
US base oils supply falls to lowest in more than three years in April
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--US base oils output fell in April to the lowest in more than three years at the same time as demand enjoyed a seasonal boost. The supply shortfall also increased to its widest level...
Austrian gas stocks could reach 80% by end of July – ICIS analysis
Austrian stocks reached fullness level of 67% on 30 June The sites are on track to meet or surpass EU targets Summer '26 - Winter '26 spread stays profitable LONDON (ICIS)--Austrian gas stocks could...
UK base oils output falls from six-month high in April
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The UK’s base oils output fell in April from the previous month, curbing its ability to cushion the impact of lower-than-usual Group I base oils supply from other key sources in...
Mexico could become crude importer as pressured oil sector to worsen further – IEA
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Mexico is to face the steepest oil production decline globally, with output projected to fall 680,000 barrels/day to 1.29 million barrels/day in the next five years, according to...