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Chemicals and the Economy

The Top 5 pandemic paradigm shifts

The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the fundamental changes which were already underway in global markets, as I discuss in a new interview with Will Beacham of I.C.I.S. Companies and investors need to focus on the challenges and opportunities created by 5 major paradigm shifts as we move into the New Normal. These will impact individual […]

Restocking boosts Q1 margins for chemical companies

Thank goodness for Janet Yellen, and China’s provincial governments.  That was clearly investors’ thoughts, when they bid up chemical company share prices during Q1.  For as the chart above shows, there was nothing in the fundamentals of supply and demand to suggest economic recovery was finally underway.  Instead, the latest American Chemistry Council data shows […]

Demand – the New Direction for Profit

What happens to your business, or your investments, if demand fails to return to the supply-driven Comfortable Middle Scenario forecast by consensus thinking?  This is the question raised in our new Study, Demand – the New Direction for Profit (jointly produced by International eChem and ICIS).  We suggest that access to a low-cost position on […]

Slide in Q2 operating rates is bad omen for H2 economic outlook

The chemical industry is the best leading indicator for the global economy.  The slide in operating rates (OR%) around the world during the seasonally strong Q2 period. is a clear warning that global economic growth may be stalling. This should be a major wake-up call for anyone still hoping that growth may recover to the Boomer-led SuperCycle level.  The latest update from […]

Global chemical operating rates remain below SuperCycle levels

Operating rates (OR%) rose to 84% in the global chemical industry in April, according to data from the excellent American Chemistry Council (ACC) weekly report. As the chart shows: This was back at January’s rate, after 83.6% in February and 83.7% in March (orange line) But rates are still below the minimum 88% rates seen in the SuperCycle (red) And they […]

Next ACS webinar on Thursday 5 June

“Not with a bang but with a whimper”. The blog’s 6-monthly webinar for the American Chemical Society (ACS) takes place next Thursday, 5 June, at 14.00 Eastern Summer Time.  And once again, the ACS has kindly arranged for blog readers to register for it free of charge. As feared in last December’s Year-end Review, the promised economic […]

Global chemical operating rates slip to 86%

Global chemical operating rates have shown little improvement over the summer months.  As the chart from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) shows: Rates in July were at 86.4%. compared to 87% in May This compares with the average of 91% between 1987 – 2012, and 86.7% in July 2012 Total production was up 2.8% versus 2012, […]

Global capacity utilsation falls for 3rd month

Capacity utilisation continues to be on a downward path, according to the latest data from the American Chemistry Council. As their chart above shows, there has been no improvement since the summer: • October should see peak rates, as companies catch up after the summer break and rush to complete orders before Christmas • Instead, […]

Operating rates slip in most regions in August

The latest weekly report from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) includes a worrying picture of falling operating rates around the world. As their chart above shows, these fell quite sharply in August by 0.4% to 84.8%. By comparison, rates in August 2011 were 87.7%. The ACC also note that the slowdown seems to be widespread: […]

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