By John Richardson JUST about everyone now recognises, albeit very belatedly, that China isn’t going to grow in the future in the way that it did in the past because of the bad-debt issues left behind by the 2008-2013 credit binge. It is now accepted wisdom that Beijing simply cannot more pour money down the […]
Asian Chemical Connections
US “Swimming In Ethylene” As Global Polyethylene Problems Build
If you are interested in my take on Asian polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) prices and margins going forward 12 months, then contact me at this email address – john.richardson@icis.com. I will then provide you with details on how to subscribe to our Asia PE and PP Forecast Reports. By John Richardson IT was […]
Yuan Devaluation: Pressure On Jobs Might Lead To 10% Fall
By John Richardson CHINA has set itself the target of creating 10 million jobs this year during a time when real GDP growth, as opposed to the fictional government numbers, is probably down in the single digits. GDP growth is also quite likely even negative in some of China’s hardest-hit provinces. Local newspapers are also […]
Yuan Devaluation: Why, What It Means Now And What Is Next
By John Richardson Why did the yuan devaluation take place, and what happens now and over the next few months? Here is my take on yesterday’s announcement. Although this might not be the main motive behind a move that I predicted would happen in February of this year, a cheaper yuan will provide support for […]
Saudi Arabia: It Has Never Been About Beating US Shale Oil
By John Richardson THE CONVENTIONAL view is that Saudi Arabia has launched its market-share campaign in oil markets in order to pretty much get rid of the US shale-oil industry. By so doing, it would secure its long-term economic future through driving global prices back up to the region of $100 a barrel, goes this […]
Global Polyethylene: The Bubble Continues To Burst
By John Richardson THERE are further reasons to believe that the bubble continues to burst for much of the global polyethylene (PE) industry, after what has been a misleadingly strong first half of the year. US ethylene capacity and production are on the increase as production issues lessen and as the US prepares to also […]
Sunset For Oil? You Must Be Kidding, Surely?
By John Richardson SURE, you can very easily argue that the oil industry is many, many decades away from going down the same path as the coal industry, where, in countries such as the US, it is going bankrupt. The biggest case for oil’s longevity is its role in transportation, it is altogether from […]
Asian Polypropylene: The Recent Past And Immediate Future
If you are interested in my take on Asian polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) prices and margins going forward 12 months, then contact me at this email address – john.richardson@icis.com. I can then provide you with details on how to subscribe to our Asia PE and PP Forecast Reports. By John Richardson AS with the […]
Asia Polyethylene: Explaining The Past And Future
By John Richardson TAKE a look at the above chart and ask yourself this question, “Why is it that the spreads between high-density polyethylene (HDPE) injection grade and naphtha have been so good so far this year?” The same has therefore, of course, applied to margins for integrated PE producers. Let’s first of all look […]
Oil Prices: Why We Are Where We Are Today
By John Richardson TWO months ago, when I was delivering a training course, people responded with deep scepticism when I suggested that oil-price stability at around $65 a barrel wouldn’t be sustained during the second half of the year. And when I suggested the price would soon fall to below $50 a barrel, the […]
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