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Chemicals and the Economy

Oil markets surge on QE3 hopes

“Will he, won’t he?” That was the only question in oil markets last week. On Wednesday, US Fed chairman Ben Bernanke seemed to suggest that QE3 might arrive, to follow on from his QE2 ‘LifeBoat’ for the economy. As the chart shows, oil prices leapt $3/bbl within 2 hours as he spoke. But then Bernanke’s […]

OECD Indicators show economic slowdown underway

The latest American Chemistry Council (ACC) weekly report has worrying evidence that the global economy may be at a turning point, as stimulus programmes are replaced by austerity. The chart shows the latest leading indicators from the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). As the ACC warn: “The CLI (green line, Composite Leading Indicator) […]

Petchem markets become more complex

Our annual Asian conference in Singapore (co-organised as always with ICIS) was very interesting this week. We had some fascinating presentations from major companies including Reliance and Thai Oil, and China insights from CICCC and Chemease. Shell’s GM for strategy, Alexander Farina, discussed changes in cost competitiveness between benzene (grey column) and propylene (red) over […]

Eurozone moves closer to crisis

New analysis by Bloomberg supports the blog’s view last month that the arrest of former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) probably marked a critical turning-point in the Eurozone debt crisis Not only was DSK no longer able to persuade German chancellor Merkel that the problems needed just “a little more time, a little more money”. […]

US consumers focus on needs, not wants

Luxury stores are doing well around the world. The great central bank lending sprees have ensured up-market consumers still have money to spend. But many other parts of the market are struggling, as consumers worry about unemployment. Higher food and energy prices are also reducing their discretionary spend – which, of course, has a direct […]

Force Majeures continue to increase

Its now a year since the blog first highlighted the worrying rise in force majeures (FMs) since the Great Recession began. Most disappointingly, continuing strong profitability has not led to any improvement. In fact, as the chart shows, the position has worsened over the past 6 months. It is based on the number of FM […]

Investment banks push oil prices higher

The start of a new half-year usually provides an excuse for the investment banks to publish bullish notes on oil markets. We discuss their role in Chapter 3 of Boom, Gloom and the New Normal, to be published later this month. Thus Goldman Sachs last week suggested oil markets will become “critically tight” in 2012, […]

China’s food price inflation hits 14.4% in June

Since Q4 2008, China has been creating one of the largest credit bubbles in history. First, it doubled bank lending to $1.4trn in 2009 (one third of GDP), and then maintained it close to this level. Secondly, it added a stimulus package worth another 13% of GDP ($580bn), focused on providing cheap electrical goods and […]

Global operating rates weaken

The chemical industry is a well-known leading indicator for the global economy. This is because our products are used in so many applications around the world. The above chart of global capacity utilisation, from the American Chemistry Council, paints a subdued picture. In May, capacity utilisation was actually lower than in May last year, at […]

ACS webinar tomorrow

The blog was delighted to learn last night that 400 people have already registered for the next American Chemical Society ‘Chemicals and the Economy’ webinar. This takes place tomorrow, July 7, at 14:00-15:00 pm US EDT. It will focus on the transition now underway to the New Normal, and the challenges this presents for companies […]

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