Industry News
Chemical Industry News
AFPM ’26: Significant increase nominations emerge for butac, glycol ethers as upstream costs rise
HOUSTON (ICIS)--After stagnant pricing and lukewarm demand for much of the past year, butyl acetate (butac) and glycol ether feedstock costs are sharply rising heading into this year’s...
‘The truth is supremely valuable and we cannot lie our way to it’
As a scientist with family in Iran, Derek Lowe finds his own government’s approach to truth alarming
Steve Liddle: ‘Try and do something different to what everyone else is doing’
The organometallic chemist on working with the f-elements, following your instinct and remaining grounded
European Chemicals Agency backs EU-wide PFAS ban
Support for ban marks ‘major step’ at dealing with ‘forever chemicals’
Scientists claim to have found the two types of water that explain the liquid’s oddness
Discovery could shed new light on anomalies such as why water is densest at 4°C
From stillage to storage: Researchers turn bourbon byproducts into supercapacitors
The state of Kentucky produces 95% of the world’s bourbon, and all that bourbon leaves behind an enormous amount of waste grain, called stillage. Now, researchers at the University of Kentucky have developed a process
EU road transport could be entirely fossil-fuel-free by 2040
According to calculations by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Europe could meet all of its road transport fuel needs with renewable sources by 2040, and more than half by 2030. The European
An end to the battle between touchscreens and long fingernails is on the horizon
Anybody who tried to use a smartphone or tablet with long nails knows that there’s a learning curve. Rather than effortlessly tapping with a fingertip, you must awkwardly lay the pads of your fingers onto the screen. Wouldn’t it be easier if you
AFPM ’26: US IPA, MEK, etac markets face higher costs, supply issues
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US isopropanol (IPA) market has an eye on costs as upstream propylene supplies are volatile, and the market is evaluating the impact of global capacity reductions, while the US methyl...
US will pause attacks on Iran energy assets for 10 days
HOUSTON (ICIS)--The US will extend its moratorium on attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure by 10 days, US President Donald Trump said on Thursday. "As per Iranian Government request, please let...
AFPM ’26: Higher energy prices and rising feedstock costs pressure oxo-alcohols, acrylates, plasticizers
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US propylene derivatives, including oxo-alcohols and acrylate esters, have been hit by upstream costs spikes in the aftermath of the US-Iran conflict. Volatile supply and uncertain...
Brazil confirms five-year anti-dumping duties on US, Canada PE but rolls back to provisional levels
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber (Gecex) has imposed definitive anti-dumping duties (ADDs) on polyethylene (PE) imports from the US and Canada for a period of five years but set the...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Oil benchmarks gain as Middle East and Russia-Ukraine wars both escalate
Iran has no interest in discussing US 15-point peace plan Eyes on Trump to see if deadline to attack Iran’s power network extended beyond Friday Ukrainian attacks on Russian export infrastructure...
NYMEX: US gas futures increase following EIA gas storage release
Front-month US natural gas futures rose on 26 March after the release of the US gas storage report The April 2026 Henry Hub contract on NYMEX settled at $2.999/MMBtu, up nearly 2% from the previous...
AFPM ’26: US MMA facing upward pressure on higher feedstocks, tighter supply
HOUSTON (ICIS)--After a prolonged weak period, US methyl methacrylate (MMA) is suddenly facing upside risk, heading into this year’s International Petrochemical Conference (IPC). The US-Iran...
Mexico cuts rates to 6.75% as Middle East conflict clouds inflation outlook
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Mexico's central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 6.75%, delivering a dovish surprise to markets and signaling openness to further easing even as the...
When Hormuz reopens, chems will need months to clear backlog – Dow
HOUSTON (ICIS)--When the Strait of Hormuz reopens, backed-up stores of energy and fertilizer will be the first to pass through, meaning it will take months before the Middle East can resume shipping...
FOCUS: Europe acrylate esters facing Q2 supply crunch due to US-Iran conflict fallout
LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe acrylate ester market is bracing for a supply crunch in Q2 as the impact of the US-Iran conflict begins to hit availability. Growing concerns for availability of esters...
Alpek pursues 8 cents/lb PET surcharge in North America
SAO PAULO (ICIS)--Alpek Polyester announced it is seeking an 8 cent/lb ($176/tonne) price surcharge on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) across North America, effective 1 April. The surcharge would...
Northwest Europe naphtha cracks weaken despite prompt support as east-west arbitrage narrows
LONDON (ICIS)--European naphtha markets have softened in recent sessions, with persistent weakness in crack spreads and a narrowing east-west arbitrage highlighting structural pressure from subdued...