Industry News
Chemical Industry News
HOLD: What to watch this week – ICIS calendar highlights
Crude and petrochemicals players will continue watching geopolitical risks as US-Iran tensions and Russia-Ukraine hostilities are keeping crude prices volatile amid an otherwise steady macroeconomic...
Plant status: China’s Xinjiang Xinye shuts No 2 BDO plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Xinjiang Xinye Energy Chemical Location: Urumqi, Xinjiang, China Product: 1,4-butanediol (BDO) Capacity (tonnes/year): 70,000 Event start: 9 May...
China Q1 BPA imports and exports both drop year on year
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s bisphenol A (BPA) imports in the first quarter of 2026 stood at 4,973 tonnes, rising by 53.8% from the last quarter but falling by 25.3% compared with the same period in...
Plant status: China’s Nanjing Chengzhi shuts BD plant for maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Nanjing Chengzhi Clean Energy Location: Nanjing, Jiangsu, China Product: Butadiene (BD) Capacity (tonnes/year): 100,000 Event start: Around 9...
China’s April phenol, acetone combined output falls 0.47% month on month
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s combined output of phenol and acetone was down by 0.47% month on month to 720,500 tonnes in April 2026, according to ICIS data. A total of 446,700 tonnes of phenol and...
China April PP output falls sharply amid Middle East tensions
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s polypropylene (PP) output in April fell by 12.3% month on month to around 2.76 million tonnes amid Middle East tensions, according to ICIS data. On a year-on-year basis,...
Plant status: China’s ZPC restarts No 4 SM plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical (ZPC) Location: Zhoushan, Zhejiang, China Product: Styrene monomer (SM) Capacity (tonnes/year): 600,000 Event...
China April PE output falls sharply on more plants’ shutdown
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s polyethylene (PE) output in April fell by 15.0% month on month to around 2.43 million tonnes, due to more plants’ shutdown, ICIS data showed. On a year-on-year basis,...
Plant status: China’s Zhoushan HBON Chemical shuts aromatics for maintenance
SINGAPORE(ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Zhoushan HBON Chemical Ningbo Location: Zhoushan, China Product: Benzene/toluene/xylene Capacity (tonnes/year): 50,000 (benzene)/150,000...
China’s average run rate of PO plants rises to 66.7% on plant restarts
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--China’s propylene oxide (PO) plants posted an average run rate at 66.7% in the week ended 8 May 2026, up by 2.1 percentage points from the last reporting period, ICIS data showed....
Plant status: China’s FPC Ningbo restarts PDH plant
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) Location: Ningbo, Zhejiang, China Product: Propylene Capacity (tonnes/year): 600,000 Event start: Around 27 March...
China BPA average plant run rate falls to 71.2% on plant maintenance
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The average run rate of China’s bisphenol A (BPA) plants was at around 71.2% in the week ended 8 May 2026, down by two percentage points from the last reporting period, ICIS data...
Plant status: China’s Shanghai Huayi cuts acetic acid run rate to 30-40%
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Shanghai Huayi Location: Shanghai, China Product: Acetic acid Capacity (tonnes/year): 800,000 Event start: 9 May 2026 Event finish: 26 May 2026...
NYMEX: US gas futures down on weaker LNG feedgas demand
Front-month US natural gas prices closed slightly lower on 8 May, reversing early session gains as short-term feedgas dips balanced medium-term demand outlooks for influence over the market The June...
CF Industries sees global nitrogen supply demand balance remaining tighter than expected
HOUSTON (ICIS)--CF Industries said in its latest nitrogen fertilizer market outlook that the supply and demand balance was already tight as 2026 began but the Middle East conflict propelled the...
Asia-US container rates rise, up 40-50% since start of Middle East war; tanker rates steady
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Rates for shipping containers from east Asia and China rose this week and are now up by 40-50% since the start of the war in the Middle East, while liquid chemical tanker rates held...
CRUDE SUMMARY: Crude prices choppy after week of heavy losses
US and Iran clash despite apparent peace talks progress this week Ukraine and Russia continue to exchange strikes despite Moscow’s call for May Day detente US labor market data shows steady jobs...
Germany output falls in March, but production of intermediate goods, chemicals rises
LONDON (ICIS)--German production from industry, construction and energy fell 0.7% month on month in March, according to statistical data released on Friday. Industrial production (excluding...
Plant status: Olin eyes mid-May VCM restart from unplanned outage
HOUSTON (ICIS)--Here is a plant status report: Name: Olin Location: Freeport, Texas state, US Product: Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) Capacity: 835,000 tonnes/year Event start: Unknown Event finish: 15...
US consumer sentiment continues to fall on concerns about prices, incomes
HOUSTON (ICIS)--After falling in April, US consumer sentiment continued to decline in May on concerns about high prices and lower incomes, the University of Michigan said in its preliminary May...