LOTS OF FOCUS has been on the Trump effect on the US trading relationship with China. But we need to think more broadly than this. I see a significant risk that next year we will see trade tensions increasing between other countries and China for the reasons described in today’s post
Asian Chemical Connections
Five personal predictions for chemicals markets in 2025
IT IS THAT time of the year again when analysts need to put their reputations on the line and make forecasts for the following year. So, see above the slide with my five forecasts for 2025 with detailed descriptions in the main text of the post.
China, global chemical trade flows and the need for better analysis
THERE is nothing new in this pattern in the case of some of these polymers. What’s new could be the willingness to absorb Chinese surpluses
As you plan for 2025, a reminder of the big shift in market fundamentals
IT IS the gap between earlier expectations of China’s chemicals demand growth and the new growth realities that largely explain record levels of global oversupply.
China versus the rest of the developing world: The great reordering of polymers demand
IN THE FIRST OF a special series of blog posts, I am going to examine Turkey’s chemicals and polymers demand growth prospects. This will be followed by posts on Vietnam, Mexico, India, Brazil and Indonesia.
These will be amongst the countries in the Developing World ex-China region that will eventually replace China as the main drivers of global chemicals demand.
Global ethylene 12 months later: Nothing seems to have changed
What would it take to return global operating rates to the very healthy 1992-2023 average of 88%? Global capacity would have to grow by an average of around 2m tonnes a year versus our base case of 6.2m tonnes a year.
China’s demographic crisis: Implications for polymers demand
The light blue bars show the impact of a Dire Demographics scenario on China’s polymers demand
Global styrene markets reflect permanent changes in the chemicals landscape
DON’T just back and wait for markets to correct themselves
Stop wasting time waiting for the end of the downcycle
THE TEN REASONS why this isn’t a standard chemical industry downcycle
Don’t put sustainability in a broom cupboard in the basement
How the chemicals world could re-align as sustainability becomes a new route to competitive advantage
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