October 2008 - ICIS Blogs

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A downturn, not a dip (2)

The blog first raised this issue last December , when noting that global chemical industry production growth had already "slowed significantly". At that time, it questioned whether "central bankers will be able to wave the magic wand that...

Published 26 Oct 2008 7:31 by Chemicals & The Economy

Filed under: Economic growth, Currencies, credit crunch, M & A, Leverage, recession, Petrochemicals, polymers, chemical demand
A dip or a downturn? (2)

Sometimes markets move because of sentiment, sometimes because of fundamentals. Sometimes (luckily rarely), because of blind panic. The latter is what we are seeing at the moment. Investors suddenly feel they MUST sell - whether because they need the...

Published 26 Oct 2008 7:12 by Chemicals & The Economy

Filed under: Economic growth, Oil markets, Financial Events, credit crunch, M & A, Leverage, recession, Petrochemicals, polymers, chemical demand
Bill Clinton's ideas for agriculture

Bill Clinton, ex US president, was speaking at world food day recently . He said: "We should go back to a policy of maximum agricultural self-sufficiency," Clinton said. While there would always be a global market for crops like rice, wheat...

Published 28 Oct 2008 10:53 by The Big Biofuels Blog

Filed under: Policy, biofuels, FAO, Food, Clinton
Fischer-Tropsch online resource

I've just come across a resource on line for people who are interested in gas to liquids technology developed by Fischer and Tropsch . You might like it if you're into pyrolysis as a first step to produce gas from biomass. Read More...

Published 28 Oct 2008 11:18 by The Big Biofuels Blog

Filed under: biomass, technology, Science, gas, wood, Fischer-Tropsch, timber, Tropsch, liquide, Fischer
Biobutanol fuel of choice in US transcontinental flight project

Biobutanol is going to be the fuel of choice in a flght across the US . You can follow the flights as they hop across the continent here . The route will take the "LookLocal Get The Lead Out" campaign from the Pacific Ocean to the First Flight...

Published 28 Oct 2008 12:10 by The Big Biofuels Blog

Filed under: US, biofuels, flight, aeroplane, plane, biobutanol
The Chemical Bus

After I chanced upon a periodic table taxi in Oxford, UK a few weeks ago, the Oxford Science Park has been kind enough to send me a photo of their periodic table bus. They tell me there are two buses in this livery, and that they ply the number 106 route...

Published 28 Oct 2008 12:34 by ICIS Chemicals Confidential

Filed under: chemicals, trivia, bus, Oxford, chemical bus, taxi, Oxford Science Park
Solar consumer products boom

Wal-Mart is expecting a bigger demand for solar-based consumer products and is already stocking its solar charger kits for sale next year, according to this press release from Canada-based ICP Solar Technologies , a manufacturer of proprietary solar panels...

Published 28 Oct 2008 12:46 by Green Chemicals

Filed under: Wal-Mart, Company initiatives, Products, General, solar, consumer products
Chemicals follow cell phones "down the toilet"

The sharp fall in most chemical prices in recent weeks has resulted in some frayed nerves and some colourful language from traditionally mild-mannered industry contacts of ICIS pricing reporters - some of which has been captured in ICIS news articles...

Published 28 Oct 2008 17:39 by ICIS Chemicals Confidential

Filed under: BBC, chemicals, price reporting, train
OPEC cuts production, worries about demand

Two main factors weigh on oil markets. The first, as PetroMatrix point out in their latest weekly report , is that speculative players in virtually all commodity markets are being forced to deleverage their positions. Therefore, "the bottom will...

Published 28 Oct 2008 17:54 by Chemicals & The Economy

Filed under: Economic growth, Oil markets, Futures trading, oil prices, recession, OPEC, Saudi Arabia
US house prices fall again

US house prices continued their downward path in August, and "every region reported negative annual returns", according to today's new Case-Shiller index . Nationally, average prices were down 17%, with Phoenix and Las Vegas down over 30...

Published 28 Oct 2008 18:13 by Chemicals & The Economy

Filed under: Economic growth, Case-Shiller index, Financial Events, Leverage, recession, US housing
Panic over? Fed lends directly to companies

The US Federal Reserve is now bypassing the banking system, and dealing directly with major corporate borrowers. These have been cut off from many sources of credit, as banks hoarded their cash. The impact has been immediate, with 1500 transactions already...

Published 28 Oct 2008 19:11 by Chemicals & The Economy

Filed under: Economic growth, Financial Events, credit crunch, Leverage, US Federal Reserve
All those wasted lives - but at least you got your bonus

Mr Obscenely Rich Got Out In Tiime Banker, please look into these eyes, see the pain from the last Great Depression and maybe you will give some of your obscenely huge bonus towards poverty relief. And perhaps also you'll be willing to pay for all...

Published 29 Oct 2008 12:45 by Asian Chemical Connections

Filed under: US, Economics, China, Europe, Middle East, Olefins, Polyolefins, Oil & Gas, Fibre Intermediates
Holiday time for Biofuelsimon

I've got two days off this week, tomorrow and Friday. I'll be back hard at it on Monday though. See you then. Read More...

Published 29 Oct 2008 16:05 by The Big Biofuels Blog

Filed under: holiday, Admin
Where to eat in New York c/o BA

Looking for a bargain hotel and good food in New York? Visitors to the December ICIS Baseoils conference and the NECA Winter Meeting won't have to compete this year for room space with last year's hordes of British shoppers flaunting their two...

Published 29 Oct 2008 12:46 by ICIS Chemicals Confidential

Filed under: business travel, conferences, British Airways, New York, NECA, NECA Winter Meeting
Less emission from hybrid plastic

California-based bioplastic manufacturer Cereplast said the use of its Biopropylene hybrid resin (which can replace up to 50% petroleum-based plastic content) emits 42% less greenhouse gas emission compared to the use of regular polypropylene. In a study...

Published 29 Oct 2008 11:23 by Green Chemicals

Filed under: Company initiatives, General, studies and reports, bioplastic, carbon emission, polypropylene, Cereplast

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October 2008 - ICIS Blogs

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A downturn, not a dip (2)

A dip or a downturn? (2)

Bill Clinton's ideas for agriculture

Fischer-Tropsch online resource

Biobutanol fuel of choice in US transcontinental flight project

The Chemical Bus

Solar consumer products boom

Chemicals follow cell phones "down the toilet"

OPEC cuts production, worries about demand

US house prices fall again

Panic over? Fed lends directly to companies

All those wasted lives - but at least you got your bonus

Holiday time for Biofuelsimon

Where to eat in New York c/o BA

Less emission from hybrid plastic