Manmohan Singh compromises to the point where “policy has no direction” Source of picture: Wikipedia By John Richardson IN A week during which the Eurozone could quite easily break-up, the influence that individual political leaders will have on shaping our economic future has been thrown in to further stark relief. And in some countries it […]
Asian Chemical Connections
Innovating Down The Value Chain
By John Richardson THE lack of depth and thought behind “analysis” of the economic challenges facing developing economies has worried the blog for some time. It is undoubtedly the case that as hundreds of millions more people in countries such as India and China emerge from poverty, the opportunities for the chemicals industry are enormous. […]
China’s Leaders Are Boxed In
By John Richardson IT seems inevitable that petrochemical markets will respond positively to the Chinese government’s decision to reduce bank-reserve requirements by 50 basis points. There will quite likely be a relief rally in the Dalian Commodity Exchange’s futures contract in linear-low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and a recovery in physical prices. But lost demand is […]
India growth slides to two-year low
By Malini Hariharan Economic data from India continues to disappoint. The economy grew at only 6.9% for the quarter ended September, the weakest pace in more than two years and below forecasts. Activity in the manufacturing sector slowed sharply as a result of high interest rates. The segment, which accounts for around 16% of the […]
A quick recovery for butadiene
By Malini Hariharan Asian butadiene prices are once again on their way up, rising over 20% in the last two weeks. Prices last week were at $1,900/tonne cfr Northeast Asia, up from a low of $1,500-1,600/tonne cfr Northeast Asia in the week ending 11 November, reports ICIS news. And offers have crossed the $2,000 mark […]
Everywhere You Turn…..
By John Richardson It really is unrelentingly depressing, even though we hear that a few investors in chemicals stocks are clinging-on to the hope that provided everyone maintains tight production, demand will recover very strongly in Q1 of next year. We wish they were right, but sadly they are not. Everywhere you turn it looks […]
US Chemicals See End Of Profit Boost
By John Richardson THE extent to which the US economy has become distorted in favour of the corporate sector was thrown into sharp relief by this article in the New York Times (the financial sector is another separate, but equally disturbing story). Whether the US can tackle the longer-term factors behind the distortions in favour […]
Investment Theories Don’t Need To Be True
By John Richardson DEVELOPED market plastics demand is currently 15 per cent below 2007 levels, despite a modest recovery in 2010, because of two successive years of double-digit declines in 2008 and 2009, according to a new HSBC report. Some estimates suggest that developed-market demand will return to pre-crisis levels by 2015, adds HSBC. However, the […]
BP and Indian Oil plan acetic acid jv
By Malini Hariharan Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is looking to set up a second joint venture in petrochemicals, this time with BP for production of acetic acid. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the feasibility of a 1m tonnes/year plant in Gujarat state, on the west coast of India. […]
Babyboomers Change The Markets
Consumption dominates chemical demand. Chapter 7 of our new ‘Boom, Gloom and the New Normal’ eBook therefore looks at the changes taking place in consumer markets. These provide vital insight into how chemical markets are likely to develop in the New Normal. The key learning is that companies are re-adapting their business models. The great […]
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