ICIS Blogs : middle east

Talking chemicals in Canada's Rockies

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:05:48 GMT

Even with scenery like this sometimes you have to think petrochemicals. The CERI (Canadian Energy Research Institute) annual petrochemicals conference has been held at the Delta Lodge in Kananaskis, Alberta, for the past few years. ICIS' Nigel Davis...(read more)

Micro-management gone too far?

Asian Chemical Connections — Fri, 08 May 2009 06:26:49 GMT

"Nobody can see until the end of the month - never mind into the third quarter," commented an olefins trader recently. "The reason is that very senior managers are too busy micro-managing everything, from getting involved in trying to track...(read more)

Is it better to be right for not quite......

Asian Chemical Connections — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:33:33 GMT

......all the right reasons than to be wrong altogether? Sounds a dumb question, perhaps - unless you take particular pride in being one of those know-it-alls. The point I am trying to make (and assuming that chemicals pricing doesn't collapse beforehand...(read more)

It's getting darker and darker out there

Asian Chemical Connections — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:25:19 GMT

It would be nice to start the weekend with a little cheer, but I'm afraid no amount of gormless optimism would work. DuPont, as you can see from this excellent piece from my colleague Nigel Davis at ICIS , has revised its forecast for 2009 global...(read more)

Trade protectionism on the rise

Asian Chemical Connections — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:46:35 GMT

India has launched a petition for PP anti-dumping action against Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Oman . This is the first case of this type in India. Producers, as we predicted on this blog earlier on, will be increasingly attempting to protect their home...(read more)

How to make money in a downturn Part 1

Asian Chemical Connections — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:16:42 GMT

Herein begins an occasional series where I offer advice on how to make a little cash. By the way, is it me or do I get the sense that a lot companies haven't woken up to the severity of the crisis we are in? A recovery this, and I think quite probably...(read more)

It's tough at the top.......

Asian Chemical Connections — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:40:16 GMT

It's easy to take pot shots at the boss, and everyone of course feels they have been underpromoted and could do the job better themselves. Andrew Liveris is just the latest in a long line of CEOs to experience both envy - and at the moment perhaps...(read more)

Middle East liquidity dries up

Chemicals & The Economy — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:43:02 GMT

In the soccer world, the UAE has been making headlines this week. It is proposing to fund the first-ever £100m ($150m) transfer - of the Brazilian player, Kaka, to Manchester City. But behind the scenes, the collapse of the oil price has been playing...(read more)

Any spare change, Mister?

Asian Chemical Connections — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:45:29 GMT

It's all about hoarding cash over the next few years, but survival might not even be possible for even the best managed of companies if Martin Wolf's worst-case scenario comes true. The Financial Times columnist writes of the unravelling of globalisation...(read more)

Dubai training seminars

ICIS Chemicals Confidential — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:15:02 GMT

The ICIS conference and training team is back from Dubai after the running a Baseoils conference, two training seminars and a joint ICIS/Nexant Middle East Petrochems conference, leaving the city seriously depleted of earrings, pashminas and fake handbags...(read more)

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

Asian Chemical Connections — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:45:42 GMT

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...(read more)

Even Middle East budgets are being cut

Asian Chemical Connections — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:02:21 GMT

Yes, I know this blog has gone very quiet - but as the world has imploded, a few more pressing issues have come to the fore. On a business trip last week the extent of the crisis became apparent when a Middle East producer told me that travel and entertainment...(read more)

Tainted food hits polymer sales

Asian Chemical Connections — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:15:53 GMT

As if the problems confronting China's polyolefin markets were not enough, sales have apparently been further hit by the tainted food scares which began with baby's milk. A wide range of products are now affected with Cadbury becoming the latest...(read more)

Global chemical growth slows

Chemicals & The Economy — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 05:48:35 GMT

The latest American Chemistry Council report on global production growth makes sombre reading for anyone outside the Middle East: • Global growth (dark green) is now only 1.4%, versus 4.1% in January • N American growth (dark blue) declined by 2.4% in...(read more)

Even Middle East funding is under threat

Asian Chemical Connections — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:44:44 GMT

The reach of the credit crisis is such that liquidity is even becoming hard to come by in the hugely wealthy Middle East, according to this report. With so few petrochemical projects officially announced for the region post-2012 (although I am hearing...(read more)