Source of picture: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23512037/ CHINA is making export gains at the expense of other higher-cost competitors that might not be sustainable because of reasons including rising trade protectionism and economic rebalancing. Chemical companies need to factor in this risk – and take into account how overall demand might merely be shifting location […]
Asian Chemical Connections
China’s Great Growth Gamble
Source of picture: www.todaysfinancialnews.com China’s feverishly fast construction of roads, power plants and new industrial capacity has been designed to offset the decline in exports – and what a short-term success the policy has been. Of the 7.7% of GDP (gross domestic product) growth recorded for the first nine months of this year, 7.3 […]
China indicates monetary tightening
Confused Direction Source of picture: China Daily A TIGHTER monetary policy is being evaluated by China’s State Council, one of the country’s most-powerful legislative bodies, according to numerous media reports – including this one from Reuters. And the chairman of China’s sixth-biggest lender was quoted in the Financial Times today as saying that […]
Should Indonesia Add Capacity?
Source of picture: wartakota.co.id WESTERNERS can often by unbelievably patronising about Asia’s efforts to climb up the economic self-sufficiency ladder. “South Korea has no business being in petrochemicals,” said a very annoying US industry executive many years ago – one of those situations where your correspondent wanted to punch someone’s lights […]
How ridiculous does ridiculous have to get?
“YES, I HEAR YOU – I’M LISTENING….” Source of picture: New York Daily News How ridiculous does crude-oil pricing have to become before regulatory reforms occur that limit the role of financial speculation in a helpful way? This was the question being asked by a refining industry source today after he had read this […]
GCC mood lifts despite worsening gas crisis
THE MOOD seems to have become a little more upbeat in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region of the Middle East thanks to the economic recovery. “The flow of foreign funds into the GCC came to a complete standstill in Q4 and the first quarter of this year, but in Q2-Q3 it reached all-time highs,” […]
The Iranian investment struggle
Source of picture: www.textually.org The political sensitivity surrounding Iran is so great that US-based companies are not even allowed to attend presentations by Iranian officials at conferences, a source said. “I witnessed a recent walk-out during a presentation by the National Iranian Oil & Distribution Company (NIODC),” he said. But a European office […]
Don’t count on Thai project delays
I have been digging a little deeper into the Map Ta Phut issue and it looks like expectations of major delays to projects at the site were a little premature. Construction has not stopped despite a ruling by Thailand’s Central Administrative Court to stop work on 76 projects at the site. The ruling was directed […]
Wearing blinkers is a job requirement
“Take it from me, peripheral vision isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially if you want to get a decent annual bonus….” Source of picture: www.whipnspurs.co.nz Here’s a rant for Tuesday – with thanks to Paul Hodges for informing some of the thinking (I’d like to lay credit to certain parts of this…) Purchasing […]
China lends guiding hand to futures markets
The Chinese government appears to have an important objective to achieve while promoting commodity futures trading in the country? A report in today’s Wall Street Journal says that the government is positioning its futures markets in setting world prices for metal, energy and farm commodities. Jiang Yang, chief futures industry policy maker and assistant chairman […]
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