ICIS - Search Articles by Date : August 08 2005 - August 14 2005

IN BRIEF Markets Watch
Sayan skhimplast boosts pvc production more
(09 August 2005 12:33)

Crude oil soars over fear for Saudi’s future policy
Brent crude prices reached a new record high last Monday following news of the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd and concerns regarding US refinery.... more
(08 August 2005 11:46)

Linde takes a bite of Sharq polyethylene plant contract
Sabic affiliate Sharq has awarded engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts to Linde for a polyethylene facility and to Stone &.... more
(08 August 2005 11:46)

SBR contract prices fall
BUYERS HAVE finally secured a price decrease on third quarter (Q3) styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) contracts, after 18 months of non-stop increases. more
(09 August 2005 12:50)

Global roundup
ENCE OPERATING more
(09 August 2005 12:46)

Sasol reverses strategy and ponders 0&S sale
SASOL IS considering selling its loss-making Germany-based Olefins and Surfactants (O&S) division, citing lack of integration benefits to the rest of.... more
(08 August 2005 11:43)

BASF performs strongly
BASF’S OUTSTANDING first-half 2005 performance, in which it posted a 33% surge in earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) to €3.1bn, along with its.... more
(08 August 2005 11:42)

Chemical Commodities in brief
BTX more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Feedstock report: Demand firms up ethylene
After a weak second quarter that saw spot prices bottom out around 24 cents per pound, ethylene prices have rebounded, thanks to higher raw material.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Price Movements
Price changes by company Edited by Ivan Lerner more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Meetings Calendar
September – December 2005 more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Jobs and People
Mike Cassaras more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Consumer specialties in brief
YaSheng increases output more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Sales shine for consumer products
Consumer products companies reported sterling sales performance for the quarter, driven by volume growth, global price increase initiatives and the.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Tysabri still in the game
Biogen Idec is still poised to be a major player in the lucrative multiple sclerosis (MS) market, despite past setbacks with Tysabri. more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Late spot prices
Late spot prices more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

IN BRIEF Financial Watch
Jefferies analyst more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Oils, fats & waxes in brief
Cargill invests in biodiesel more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Paper chemicals under pressure
Rising natural gas and oil prices and increased competition from China have the paper chemicals industry fighting to hold its ground. Ivan Lerner.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Agbiz majors post reversed results
In the latest earnings reports from the oilseed sector are two reversals of fortune—a turnaround for Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Company, but.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

PIRG again calls for ban on HF acid
A consumer advocacy group recently repeated its call on Congress to ban the use of hydrofluoric acid by oil refineries, arguing that safer,.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Bush signs massive energy bill
President George W. Bush last week signed a massive law designed to increase US production of all forms of energy while cutting consumption. more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Lube additives hit by materials hike
Strong demand and rising raw material costs have resulted in a number of recent price increases for lubricant additives. The cost of base oils has.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Degussa plans to mothball Belgian methionine unit
Degussa plans to shut down 80,000 metric tons per year of D-L methionine capacity in Antwerp after it brings on stream a new 120,000 ton production.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Strike possible, IG BCE warns
Germany’s chemical trade union IG BCE threatened last week to strike if the political sector tries to influence the collective bargaining process. more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Chinese PS buying patterns seen shifting
Chinese polystyrene (PS) buying patterns have changed in the third quarter of this year because buyers were burned during the rapid run-up in pricing.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Reliance branches out and seeks investments
Reliance Industries, the Indian petrochemical major, continues to search for acquisition targets in the sector­—and is even considering branching out.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Pertamina evaluates plant’s future
Pertamina’s purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant will remain shut while “various options” are examined regarding its future, a source at the.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

1,4-Butanediol
August 15–21 2005 more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

IN BRIEF News Watch
MERCK STARTS UP GENERIC PHARMA UNIT Merck KGaA has established a generic pharmaceuticals business based in New York called Genpharm LP. The.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

BP cracker suffers fire at Chocolate Bayou site
The Olefins 2 cracker at BP’s Chocolate Bayou, Tex., petrochemicals complex suffered serious damage when an explosion ripped through the plant at.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Chemtrade buys Peak companies
Canadian income fund Chemtrade Logistics has purchased Peak Chemical and Peak Sulfur for $166.75 million. Chemtrade says the acquisition of the Peak.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

IN Brief News Watch
Sartomer acquires polybutadienes biz more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Energy Act prompts refiners to convert
The enactment of the 2005 Energy Policy Act is starting to prompt methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) producers to convert their units to the.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Nexen to IPO chemicals unit
Nexen Inc. has priced its chemical IPO Canexus Income Fund at C$10 per unit for gross proceeds of C$300 million. The company is selling 30 million.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

GSK doubles flu shots
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) will reportedly invest €94 million ($117 million) for a new manufacturing facility in Dresden, Germany, that will double its.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Wacker family in full control
The Wacker family has assumed 100 percent control of Wacker-Chemie GmbH after buying out Sanofi-Aventis subsidiary Hoechst’s 44 percent stake in the.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Sasol puts O&S on sale
Sasol is mulling the disposal of its troubled Germany-based Olefins and Surfactants (O&S) division, citing lack of integration benefits with the rest.... more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Indian generics firms venturing into Europe
Indian generics players continue to strengthen their foothold in the European markets more
(13 August 2005 10:58)

Bearish outlook for NEA BPA
NORTHEAST ASIAN bisphenol-A (BPA) spot prices were likely to remain under strong downward pressure in the near term, said producers and traders. more
(08 August 2005 11:48)

SBR makers see more price rises
ASIAN producers and traders expect prices of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) to continue rising through Q3 and Q4 on strong demand, rising prices of.... more
(08 August 2005 11:50)

Rabigh project economics work
A sharp escalation in the cost of Sumitomo Chemical and Saudi Aramco’s joint-venture project in Rabigh, Saudi Arabia, is unlikely to adversely affect.... more
(08 August 2005 11:49)

Market picks up as stocks run low
US C2 prices and margins are expected to stabilise in Q3, as demand strengthens and PE inventories return to normal. The chlor-alkali cycle is.... more
(12 August 2005 16:35)

New projects summary
REPORTED IN ACN 1-7 AUGUST 2005 more
(12 August 2005 17:52)

The long dry season?
Thailand’s water woes, along with other problems, could hit Q3 and Q4 results of its petrochemical companies. Mark Lazell reports more
(12 August 2005 17:52)

Slowing demand vexes PS and ABS players
THE MAIN concern in the styrenics sector has shifted from high feedstock costs to uncertain demand in Northeast Asia (NEA). more
(12 August 2005 16:35)

Mixed sentiment slows China trade
PE and PP markets are bullish as crude surges to a record high and inventories get depleted. PVC climbs on tight supply. But weak demand pushes down.... more
(12 August 2005 17:38)

Lacklustre trade as buyers retreat
Despite strong derivative markets, ethylene, propylene and butadiene face buyer resistance. Weak sentiment stalls methanol trade. But ammonia and.... more
(12 August 2005 16:35)

Toluene and MX holding up for now
Buying interest weakens for toluene, paraxylene and phenol. Trade is lacklustre for benzene. MX prices edge up slightly as Chinese traders and.... more
(12 August 2005 16:35)

PE bags under fire as govt studies Mumbai floods
IT IS hard not to notice them – millions of plastic bags littered on the streets and clogging the drains of Mumbai, India’s financial capital. more
(12 August 2005 16:35)