Industry News
Chemical Industry News
China factory activity weakens in Oct, PMI slips to 49.0
SINGPAORE (ICIS)--China’s factory activity softened in October, with the official reading of manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) dropping to 49.0 in the month from 49.8 in September....
S Korea’s SK Innovation Q3 petchem loss widens on weaker spreads
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--South Korea's SK Innovation on Friday said its petrochemical unit posted an operating loss of won (W) 36.8 billion ($25.8 million) in the third quarter, weighed by weakened product...
Plant status: Sinopec Yanshan phenol/acetone plant restart unknown
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Sinopec Yanshan Company Beijing Location: Beijing, China Product: Phenol and acetone Capacity (tonnes/year): 110,000 and 70,000 respectively...
Plant status: FPC shuts China phenol/acetone plant for maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) Location: Ningbo, Zhejiang, China Product: Phenol, acetone Capacity (tonnes/year): 400,000 and 250,000 respectively...
China major producers’ polyolefin inventories continue falling on more buying appetite
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The combined polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) inventories of Chinese state-owned petrochemical giants Sinopec and PetroChina continued falling as more buying appetite...
Asia TiO2 indicative price unchanged as market turns attention to ADD
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Titanium dioxide (TiO2) spot indicative prices in Asia were stable so far on Friday. Sell indications were heard at $1,900/tonne FOB (free on board) China, stable compared with the...
Physicists hope to probe standard model with misshapen radium monofluoride
Effect never observed in a molecule could help adjudicate between competing models of nuclear structure
Starting a chemistry PhD as a mature student
The benefits and challenges of returning to academia after a period away
Researchers decry plans to close beamlines at Australian synchrotron
Infrared and terahertz spectroscopy lines under threat
Plant status: Indonesia’s PT Patra SK restarts Group III base oils
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: PT Patra SK Location: Dumai, Indonesia Product: Group III base oils Capacity (tonnes/year): 493,243 Event start: Early October 2025 Event...
UPDATE: China, US to suspend reciprocal port fees after Trump-Xi meeting
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China and the US have agreed to suspend tit-for-tat shipping levies for one year, alongside some tariff cuts, following an in-person meeting between the leaders of the world’s two...
Asian BPA market seen weak on slow demand ahead
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s bisphenol A (BPA) market will remain marred by slow demand in the near term, as heavy turnarounds in the downstream polycarbonate (PC) sector and economic uncertainties...
Germany’s Wacker swings to Q3 net loss, refines full-year forecast
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--German specialty chemical firm Wacker Chemie on Thursday lowered its full-year guidance as persistently weak global demand and lower selling prices caused it to swing into a net...
Germany’s Covestro posts Q3 net loss on price pressures, Dormagen fire
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Covestro posted a third quarter 2025 net loss of €47 million as lowered sales prices and a fire in Dormagen negatively impacted profits, the German chemicals maker said on...
China and US agree on rare earth, tariffs in Xi-Trump meeting
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Top leaders of the world’s two biggest economies held an in-person meeting in South Korea Thursday morning and reached consensus on many fronts, including the high-stakes rare...
Swiss Clariant Q3 EBITDA rises on performance improvement, price and cost measures
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Swiss specialty chemical firm Clariant on Thursday reported a 5% year on year increase in core group earnings for the third quarter, driven by rigorous cost control and efficiency...
Plant status: S Korea’s Kumho to overhaul two phenol/acetone units in Apr ‘26
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Kumho P&B Chemicals Location: Yeosu, South Korea Product: Phenol; acetone Capacity (tonnes/year): No 3 unit - 270,000 (phenol); 165,000...
China Sept 2025 SM exports surge on rising overseas demand
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China exported 31,547 tonnes of styrene monomer (SM) in September 2025 amid rising demand outside China, showing a sharp increase month on month and year on year, according to the...
Weak spot prices and strong discount to key power markets to enable France to maintain a strong net exporting position
France to maintain a net exporting position through the remainder of winter Traders eye a weak spot, strong nuclear as key drivers behind strong exports ICIS power foresight shows a wide French...
Refinery transformation costs, competition preventing investments – execs
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Refineries find it difficult to transform due to prohibitive costs, competitiveness from China, and current technologies being energy-intensive, which necessitate the use of newer...