Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Asian naphtha markets vulnerable to Middle East refinery and shipping disruptions
LONDON (ICIS)--Naphtha prices are expected to increase over the coming weeks in line with higher crude oil prices and freight rates. If the Strait of Hormuz remains inaccessible due to the conflict...
EU Commission to publish first CBAM certificate price on 7 April, highlighting costs for fertilizers
LONDON (ICIS)--The European Commission will publish the first Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) certificate price on 7 April, setting the carbon cost that importers, including fertilizer...
MCM declares sales control on US methacrylic acid
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Mitsubishi Chemical Methacrylates (MCM) has declared sales control on the following imported products in the US, according to a customer letter seen by ICIS: Methacrylic acid (MAA)...
Europe etac market faces mounting concerns over supply
LONDON (ICIS)--The European ethyl acetate (etac) spot market shifted rapidly from ample availability to tight supply within days as escalating Middle East tensions disrupted supply chains, altered...
Europe MTBE prices surge on higher Eurobob values due to Middle East conflict
LONDON (ICIS)--The European methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) market saw average prices increase dramatically in the week ending 6 March, aligning with higher Eurobob gasoline values due to the...
US existing home sales rise 1.7% in February
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Sales of existing homes in the US rose 1.7% month on month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million in February, following a decline of 8.4% in January, the National...
Series of attacks in Mideast conflict expected to squeeze Group III base oils supply
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Mideast Group III base oils supply is expected to shrink with a series of attacks that have impacted refinery complexes in Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE. After the de facto closure of...
LyondellBasell declares Europe polyolefins force majeure
LONDON (ICIS)--LyondellBasell has declared force majeure on polyolefins sales from two of the producer’s European subsidiaries, citing the uncertainty and market volatility brought on by the...
Fertilizer production halted in Bangladesh on natural gas supply issues
LONDON (ICIS)--Five out of six urea fertilizer plants in Bangladesh have halted production due to natural gas supply issues. Government-owned Ghorashal Polash Fertilizer, Chittagong Urea Fertilizer...
Hydrogen bubble’s squeaky pop
Were cancelled hydrogen production projects overly optimistic or commitments of convenience?
‘A philosophical attack on the nature of science’
Norine Noonan and Susan Coady Kemnitzer, who have retired from decades-long senior leadership roles at key science agencies and the White House, talk about the importance of collecting data at this historic moment
Cone snail venom peptides offer new hope for pain relief
Cone snails deploy sophisticated venom cocktails to paralyse prey. Anthony King talks to the researchers harnessing these peptides to develop new pain medications
Alexandra Knauer mit Pittcon Heritage Award ausgezeichnet
Entrepreneur Alexandra Knauer, managing director of lab instrument manufacturer KNAUER, is honored in the USA with the Pittcon Heritage Award 2026. The award honors outstanding individuals who have made a lasting contribution to the development of
Silox acquires selected hydrosulfite-related assets from BASF
BASF and Silox have entered into a definitive agreement under which Silox acquires selected hydrosulfite-related assets from BASF. The transaction comprises specific assets, including intellectual property rights, special containers, selected production equipment, technical expertise, and
A second life for solar modules
According to statistics, electricity generation from renewable energies in Germany reached a new high of around 64% at the end of 2025. In addition to wind power, photovoltaics in particular increased. The challenge posed by
How a 270-year-old physics trick could supercharge affordable battery technology
Roughly 270 years ago, Dr Johann Gottlob Leidenfrost from Germany observed a peculiar behaviour of water droplets on heated metal surfaces. In his manuscript, “A Tract About Some Qualities of Common Water,” he described how
BASF inaugurates expanded dispersion production in Durban, South Africa
BASF has expanded production capacity for dispersions at its site in Durban, South Africa, strengthening the company’s ability to supply customers with high-quality dispersions used in architectural coatings, construction materials and the paper industry. The
INSIGHT: Geopolitically driven oil price spikes since 1980 have taken 5 months to revert. Could this time be different?
NEW YORK (ICIS)--Crude oil price spikes resulting from geopolitical turmoil in the past have taken around five months on average to revert to pre-trigger levels, according to an analysis by UBS....
US crude futures plunge on reports of easing Russia’s sanctions
HOUSTON (ICIS)--NYMEX WTI crude futures for April delivery plunged to $81.19/barrel in after-market electronic trading after hitting the highest level since 2022 in early trading. Reports that...
North America PP producers separately seek March, April price increases
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Multiple North American polypropylene (PP) producers have separately announced price increases for March and April. The most common price increase rate is 4 cents/lb. Some increases...