By John Richardson THE mood in European ethylene and polyethylene (PE) markets has changed over the last two weeks, according to my ICIS pricing colleagues, Nel Weddle and Linda Naylor. “A drop in crude oil and naphtha values saw speculation over a decrease for the May (ethylene) contract build this week,” wrote Nel last Friday. […]
Asian Chemical Connections
China’s Changing Demand
By John Richardson THE nature of demand in China is changing, despite the belief among some chemicals analysts, and companies, that everything will soon return to normal. Here is a summary of our key arguments. Please print off and pin to your office, or boardroom, wall for discussion – and let us know if you […]
China Urbanisation Complications
By John Richardson EVERY time you come back to the subject of China, it becomes ever-more complex and uncertain. An excellent example is an article published in the academic journal, Eurasian Geography and Economics, in February, by University of Washington professor Kam Wing Chan. It questions to what extent China’s economy will benefit from further […]
US Euphoria
By John Richardson THE shale gas advantage, along with the revival of the US economy, made for a euphoric atmosphere at last week’s International Petrochemicals Conference (IPC)* in San Antonio, Texas. China was only a blip on the corner of the radar screen because the talk was so domestic-focused. The only doubts expressed were over […]
China’s March Inflation
By John Richardson THE importance of reliable market intelligence on China was further emphasised on Monday with the release of the March inflation data. Last week a sales and marketing executive with a polyolefins producer told us: “”Although the overall inflation rate has fallen to 3.2 percent (the February number), this is very misleading as it […]
MEG’s Fading Star
By John Richardson CHINA’S mono-ethylene (MEG) market was supposed to be very strong this year. But instead, to date we have seen persistently weak market conditions that few people, least of all the traders, seem to have anticipated. The traders appear to have been taken in by the hype and booked cargoes for delivery […]
Further China Evidence
By John Richardson FURTHER evidence of weakness in the Chinese economy has emerged via the polyolefins market. In an excellent Insight article, my ICIS colleagues Chow Bee Lin and Peh Soo Hwee say that China’s plastics processors are resisting additional price increases because their customers, the manufacturers of finished goods, are struggling. The combined retail […]
China And Inflation
By John Richardson MUCH excitement heralded the announcement that February inflation in China had fallen to a 20-month low of 3.2 percent – well within the government’s annualised target of 4 percent. This led to the belief that the government would boost bank lending, and maybe further low bank-reserve requirements and interest rates. No doubt this […]
Why Should Q2 Be Any Better?
By John Richardson THE question being asked during the first quarter of this year was, “Why shouldn’t Chinese chemicals demand come roaring back after a disappointing 2011?” The relevant question now, as we move into Q2, is, “Why should it come roaring back?” Chemicals analysts, and quite a few traders in products such as […]
New Policies Needed To Restore Growth
Politicians seem to be floundering as they seek to restore growth to the Western economy. Their prescriptions swing between austerity and economic stimulus as they argue over what has gone wrong. But in chapter 10 of our Boom, Gloom & The New Normal e-book we argue that they are on the wrong track. They are […]
Jump to page: