By Malini Hariharan Asian aromatics markets are getting increasingly hard to read not merely because of volatile crude prices. Demand, usually strong at this time of the year, has so far failed to materialise. The US gasoline season has started on a slow note. In Asia, benzene demand has been hit by maintenance shutdowns and […]
Asian Chemical Connections
Asian Aromatics Crawl Towards Post-Chinese New Year
A roar or a whimper? Source of picture: http://break4fun.zarke.net By John Richardson THE ASIAN aromatics market has had “both its legs chopped off below the knees, and has also had its proverbial hands broken,” said an Asian-based petrochemicals consultant today. “As a result, we are crawling in a great deal of pain towards what […]
Benzene: What Lies Beneath
A Ring of Truth? Source of picture: http://web.pdx.edu/~nathanh/benzene/benzene2.gif By John Richardson TUMBLING Asian benzene prices are being blamed on weaker crude, itself a reflection of macro-economic worries over higher-than-expected US jobless figures, government debt problems in the Euro zone and tighter credit in China. “It’s not a question of whether, but when the secon dip […]
China Latest Credit Tightening Blow To Chemicals
By John Richardson CHINA’S decision to temporarily halt lending by some banks – which was announced yesterday – as it attempts to further cool the economy will likely have a significant effect on chemicals demand and pricing. This follows last week’s decision to raise bank reserve requirements and two increases in the inter-bank lending rate […]
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