Asia top stories: weekly summary

ICIS Editorial

21-Apr-2014

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Asia and the Middle east for the week ended 18 April 2014


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Focus – China melamine export prices hit record low; outlook mixed
China’s melamine export prices fell below $1,000/tonne in mid-April because of supply glut and weak downstream demand, but the overall outlook is mixed as some expect further declines while others think prices will bottom out soon, industry sources said on Friday.

Focus – Indonesia’s PP to firm in near term; long-term outlook mixed
Indonesia’s polypropylene (PP) prices are expected to rise in the coming weeks on tight supply and higher demand ahead of the Muslim fasting month but long-term outlook hinges on the outcome of presidential elections in July, market sources

 

Focus – Asia’s naphtha spread firms on tight supply, healthy demand
Asia’s naphtha intermonth spread is expected to remain firm owing to tightened supply of the light material as healthy demand builds up at the end of the bulk of the cracker maintenance, traders said on Thursday.

 

Focus – India LAB prices expected to fall on back of lower offers
Import prices of linear alkyl benzene (LAB) in India are expected to soften this week because of low raw material costs and lower prices in the domestic market, market sources said on Wednesday.

 

Focus – SBR prices set to rise in SE Asia on feedstock BD price rebound
Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) non-oil grade 1502 prices are set to increase in southeast Asia and India because of the rebound in feedstock butadiene (BD) prices, market sources said.

 

Focus – Local prices of PP in Thailand could fall further on weak demand
Domestic prices of polypropylene (PP) in Thailand might fall further in the near term with the onset of the wet season which traditionally suppresses downstream demand, market sources said on Wednesday.

 

Interview – Polymer stabilisation industry needs to expand by 2017
The global polymer stabilisation market will need a major capacity expansion by 2017 because of normal demand growth and new applications, said Maurizio Butti, the chief operating officer for South Korean polymer additives producer Songwon.

 

Focus – Domestic PP prices in the Philippines may rise after Holy Week
The Philippines’ polypropylene (PP) market is subdued amid the ongoing Holy Week festivities in the country but prices may rise after it ends as domestic demand returns to normal, market participants said on Tuesday.

 

S Arabia’s Petro Rabigh swings to Q1 2014 profit on higher sales
Saudi-based Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co (Petro Rabigh) swung to a first-quarter net profit on stable operations and higher sales volume but the earning was 66. 7 % below from the previous quarter earnings, the company said late on Wednesday.

 

Focus – Qatar looks beyond gas toward petchem to diversify economy
Qatar is expected to move away from its reliance on gas for revenue and more towards petrochemicals and fertilizers in a bid to diversify its economy, industry sources in the Middle East said on Monday.

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