Any excuse to make a reference to the late, great and wonderful Ian Dury. I sent the following email to my friend in response to the stock market rallies and the green shoots of optimism seemingly turning into beautiful May flowers: “I take it nothing can has fundamentally changed? The confidence couldn’t possibly be so […]
Asian Chemical Connections
Lack of visibility makes planning a nightmare
Is it just me or is sentiment in chemicals markets even more erratic than usual? Only two weeks ago people were talking about an imminent supply glut in polypropylene, but now the talk is of tightness and stable prices. Perhaps those with more time on their hands have more time to talk. This lack of […]
Trade protectionism on the rise
antidumping petitions, trade protection, WTO applied and bound tariff rates
How to make money in a downturn Part 1
John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, antidumping petitions, trade protection, living in cloud cuckoo land
How hopeless is your company?
The blame game, financial meltdown, Eric Cantona, Leeds Utd, the end of life as we know it, Lucy Kellaway
Crikey, did I eat that much?
Pimco, Mohamed El-Erian, financial meltdown, financial rescue package, American Chemistry Council
The world is round after all
Thomas Friedman, globalisation, global warming, Peak Oil, Hot, Flat and Crowded, climate change, SABIC
A drowning man will clutch onto anything
Peak Oil, Deutsche Bank, gas pricing, coal-o-chemicals, coal gasification, PetroRabigh, Saudi Aramco, Sumitomo Chemical
What’s it like to be a millionaire?
food poverty, Peak Oil, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, MMSA
India petchem hubs – no chance!
Reliance Industries, Tata Motors, yellow dahl, vested interests, West Bengal, integration benefits, site efficiencies