‘The sharp drop in housing starts and the developing credit crisis will flow into the cracker business’, according to Shell Chemical’s CEO Stacy Methvin. She added that ‘the housing crisis is more far-reaching than anyone anticipated’.
Similarly, BASF is now more cautious about the potential impact of the US recession on its petchem business. Peter Cella, VP petchems N America, told ICIS news that the ‘impact thus far has not filtered down to demand for our products (but) it could be coming. There could be a delayed effect three, six, nine months out that we’re just not seeing yet.’
The ACC’s weekly report also notes that JP Morgan’s global Manufacturing Index has slipped to its lowest level since May 2003, as America’s recession impacts the rest of the world. As the ACC comment, ‘so much for decoupling!’