Entries from Asian Chemical Connections tagged with 'Boom Gloom and the New Normal'
Ten Solutions For The Global Economy
By John Richardson LAST week we highlighted how a Boston Consulting Group study has reached many of the same conclusions as our e-book, Boom, Gloom & The New Normal, on the fault lines in the global economy. Similarly, many of...
Ponzi Scheme Economics
By John Richardson AN important study by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) underlines most of the views we put forward in our e-book, Boom Gloom & The New Normal. "The developed world's Ponzi scheme is caused by record-high levels of...
Social Change And Growth
South Korea and its consumer-driven economy Source of picture: KeystoneUSA-ZUMA/Rex Features By John Richardson MEASURING demand growth cannot involve merely assuming that the future will be the same as the past, as this increasingly complex world continues to tell...
South Korea's Demographic Challenges
By John Richardson SOUTH Korea serves as another example of how demographics are reshaping Asian economic prospects. "By 2018, 14% of its population will be over 65, making it officially an 'aged society.' That is six years sooner than...
Asian Demographics Change Demand Patterns
THIS blog was once criticised for devoting too much time to the big picture - e.g. politics, economics and demographics - one of the major themes of our free e-book, Boom, Gloom & The New Normal. We beg to differ....
Dow and DuPont Make Major Job Cuts
Dupont's Ellen Kullman By John Richardson Dow Chemical's decision to cut 2,400 jobs, as it posted a 32% drop in earnings per share, was the result of what CEO Andrew Liveris said was difficult conditions that "may have...
No More Of This...
By John Richardson THE big hope is that once China returns from its National Holidays (1-7 October), petrochemicals markets will enjoy a big and sustainable recovery. It is not going to happen. Throughout this year, the hope has been that the...
Failure Of Central Bankers
Source of graph: Reuters By John Richardson THE Federal Reserve has got it badly wrong, and could compound its mistake by launching a third round of quantitative easing (QE3), warns Ruchir Sharma, head of emerging markets and global...
If You Build It They May Not Come
By John Richardson "You cannot just sit back and expect things to happen the way they have happened in the past, especially in emerging markets." This insight from a senior Asian-based executive with a global polyethylene (PE) producer highlights...
A Game Of Two Halves
Source: ICIS By John Richardson CHINA'S fibre intermediates industry could end of being a game of two halves in 2012, to use an old football (or soccer for the benefit of our America readers) cliché. The reason is...
Dysfunctional Oil Markets
By John Richardson "HOW do a I tell my customers that polyethylene (PE) price rises are justified by more expensive naphtha, when the market is so weak?" asked an Asia-based sales and marketing executive with a major producer earlier this...
China Politics
In the last of our series of blog posts on some of the major challenges facing China's economy over the next 12-18 months, we look at politics. By John Richardson THE outcome of the battle over China's economic...
A Call To Action
We are about to set out on a great journey as the world transitions to the New Normal. The reason for the journey is that the world economy has changed irrevocably as a result of the financial crisis and...
European Firms Assess China Exit
By John Richardson CHINA'S rising labour costs and a worsening regulatory environment had resulted in almost a quarter of European firms to consider relocating their activities elsewhere, said a survey by the EU Chamber of Commerce and Roland Berger Strategy...
Global Economy Loses Suspension
By John Richardson ISN'T it interesting how when you talk to someone involved in a petrochemicals project, either publicly or privately, their project is very often sufficiently to the left of the cost curve to gain a winning advantage over competitors? Discussions...
North America Manufacturing Rebound
By John Richardson THIS fascinating slide from Accenture, in a new study that the consultancy is about to release on the rebound in North American manufacturing competitiveness, quantifies the steep rise in relative labour costs in China between 2001...
A Road Map For Success
The new chapter of our free 'Boom, Gloom and the New Normal' ebook sets out a road map to success for companies in the New Normal. It also identifies 5 key areas where major change is already underway. Demand-driven....
Europe's "Recovery" Falters
By John Richardson THE mood in European ethylene and polyethylene (PE) markets has changed over the last two weeks, according to my ICIS pricing colleagues, Nel Weddle and Linda Naylor. "A drop in crude oil and naphtha values saw speculation...
China's Changing Demand
By John Richardson THE nature of demand in China is changing, despite the belief among some chemicals analysts, and companies, that everything will soon return to normal. Here is a summary of our key arguments. Please print off and...
US Euphoria
By John Richardson THE shale gas advantage, along with the revival of the US economy, made for a euphoric atmosphere at last week's International Petrochemicals Conference (IPC)* in San Antonio, Texas. China was only a blip on the corner of...
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