Industry News
Chemical Industry News
India’s phosphate segment shows early resilience amid Middle East disruption, but risks remain
LONDON (ICIS)--India’s phosphatic fertilizers market is showing early signs of resilience amid disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, supported by proactive procurement, strong domestic production...
Chile sulphuric acid interactive trade map Jan-Apr 2026
LONDON (ICIS)--The National Customs Service of Chile has released sulphuric acid import and export data for January-April...
US April existing home sales rebound 0.2% amid better affordability
HOUSTON (ICIS)--US existing home sales in April was a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million, up 0.2% from the March drop and flat year on year, according to the National Association of...
Germany’s Aurubis expects greater profits from sulphuric acid amid supply squeeze
LONDON (ICIS)--German copper major Aurubis said it expects to see a greater contribution from sulphuric acid sales in its earnings this year, as it announced it had produced 585,000 tonnes of the...
Europe E&P series glycol ethers prices see modest correction as buyers pull back
LONDON (ICIS)--Spot prices for E&P series glycol ethers have softened coming into May as the market weighs the prospect of spot availability improvements against the backdrop of persistent...
Stripped down bacterium functions with one less amino acid than the rest of life on Earth
Deep learning models used to understand how isoleucine could be replaced in proteins without disrupting their structures
The molecular mystery of how we smell
Despite being one of our key senses, the molecular mechanisms of smell remain poorly understood. Mason Wakely sniffs out the competing theories of what may be happening in our noses
Job cuts at WACKER: Around 1,600 jobs in Germany affected
Wacker Chemie AG is continuing to drive forward its global PACE cost-savings and efficiency program launched in October 2025. The aim of PACE is to reduce costs by over €300 million a year and to
Festo is cutting approximately 1,300 jobs in Germany
Festo has launched a company-wide transformation program to position itself for a sustainable future as a financially independent family-owned company. The program is also intended to strengthen and expand the company’s position as a globally
Researchers separate microparticles according to size and guide them on different paths
A team of researchers from the Universities of Tübingen, Bayreuth, and Kassel, and the Polish Academy of Sciences has developed a method for precisely controlling the movement of magnetic microparticles based on their size. These
Water splitting catalyst creates hydrogen at low temperatures
University of Birmingham research has shown a new low-temperature method for producing hydrogen that is suitable for both centralised hydrogen production, and also local generation using waste heat from large-scale industrial plants. Hydrogen is the
Evonik defies adverse circumstances in the first quarter
Evonik achieved its operating profit target in the first three months of 2026 despite a very difficult business and economic environment. At €475 million, adjusted EBITDA slightly exceeded the company's earnings forecast of around €450
March export volumes of MMA from Asia, excluding China, see declines
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Export volumes from key methyl methacrylate (MMA) exporting Asia regions, excluding mainland China, fell in March 2026 year on year amid the impact of supply disruption from the...
China Apr crude imports drop by 20% as Mideast conflict cuts supply
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s crude imports in April plunged by a sharp 20% year on year to 38.5 million tonnes, the lowest since July 2022, official customs data showed over the weekend. The decline...
Oil prices jump more than $3/bbl on renewed US-Iran tensions as peace talks stall
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Oil prices surged by more than $3/barrel in early Monday trade as US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest response to his proposal to end the conflict as “totally...
Asia MA weakens as cautious demand pressures regional market sentiment
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia’s maleic anhydride (MA) market remained subdued following the Labour Day holidays, with cautious downstream demand limiting trading activity across southeast Asia, China and...
Isomer MX spot prices weaken on lower June negotiations amid heavy losses in upstream
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Isomer grade mixed xylenes (MX) spot prices were lower week on week as of 8 May, reflecting overall drops in upstream values, which weighed down discussion levels for June shipment...
Saudi Aramco Q1 net profit rises on higher crude, chemical prices
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Saudi Aramco’s net profit in the first quarter of 2026 increased to Saudi riyal (SR) 120.1 billion ($32 billion) amid higher sales from a surge in crude and chemical prices due to...
India’s GAIL seeks to buy 20,000 tonne PX for June
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--India's GAIL is seeking to purchase 20,000 tonnes of paraxylene (PX) for June delivery via a buy tender, according to market sources familiar with the matter. The tender will close...
S Korea 1-10 May PX exports down 34.3% on month
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--South Korea paraxylene (PX) exports during 1-10 May were down 34.3% month on month to 73,075 tonnes, according to market sources. Volumes were all being exported to China, sources...