Referring to the famous story about how Joseph Kennedy sold his shares on the eve of the Wall Street Crash after being given investment tips by a shoe-shine boy, my answer to the above is a definitive YES. Over the course of rest of this week I am going to detail why I think reports […]
Asian Chemical Connections
The China Recovery Conundrum
eutsche Bank, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, China economy, China Q1 growth, China Q1
China polyolefin speculation gets worse
See the piece below. I suspect polyolefin pricing will fall a lot further: A Singapore-based polyolefin trader took a telephone call during a lunch meeting a few weeks ago from his counterpart on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE). “Sell, sell, sell,” advised his colleague from the other side of the restaurant table. But he decided […]
Some important new petchem trends
To keep you updated on what we believe is happening in petrochemicals, here are some important recent trends: *Futures markets in China are playing an increasingly important role in influencing pricing in polyolefins, methanol and PTA. Trading volume on the Dalian Commodity Exchange (watch out for Focus piece due out on ICIS today) for LLDPE […]
Asian petchems: A H2 Outlook
Bear Stearns, Dalian Commodity Exchange, bear-market rally, China speculation, ethane versus naphtha prices, International eChem
US petchem exports to lessen the pain?
General Motors, Dalian Commodity Exchange, China self-sufficiency, US-Asia exports
If manufacturers started buying up their suppliers….
This excellent article from The Economist about vertical integration got me thinking that if, say, auto makers start buying up parts suppliers in developed markets (in developing markets the plastics processing industry is too fragmented) we could end up facing a whole new set of industry dynamics. Buying up your supplier, or at least offering […]
Alice In Wonderland economics
China appears to be pumping money into ailing companies for social stability reasons, resulting in a build-up in inventory of unsold finished goods. Anecdotal evidence from ICIS pricing, and analysis by JP Morgan Asset Management and the China Economic Quarterly supports this view. Comparatively stronger exports to China, as my fellow blogger Paul Hodges points […]
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
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