By Malini Hariharan Just when polyolefin markets have started recovering operating issues are cropping up at plants in Asia. ExxonMobil was forced to shut its 600,000 tonnes/year polyethylene (PE) plant in Singapore on Tuesday for two weeks due to undisclosed problems. The PE plant had faced problems in early July when it was shut down […]
Asian Chemical Connections
Saudi PP producers risk more dumping claims
By Malini Hariharan and John Richardson Saudi polypropylene (PP) producers could potentially be hit by anti-dumping duties (ADD) and other duties from more countries if an Indian ruling on an ADD petition sets a legal precedent, said a senior trade lawyer. The Indian authorities have ruled – in response to the petition lodged by local […]
Managing expectations
By Malini Hariharan A spurt in Chinese buying enquiries in the last few days has awakened hopes in some quarters of an upturn in polyolefin pricing with one trader predicting a $50-70/tonne rise in the coming weeks. The prediction, he says, is based on his experience with the commodity cycle – as buyers in China […]
Crunch time for Asian polyolefins
By Malini Hariharan August could well be the time for some tough decisions by Asian polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) producers. Demand has languished for the last three months and although many are hoping for a recovery at the end of this month or in early August, there are as yet no signs of this. […]
India set to announce final ADD on PP
By Malini Hariharan India’s long-running investigation into dumping of polypropylene (PP) from Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Oman is inching to a close. Final anti-dumping duties (ADD) are expected to be announced soon, say industry sources. Affected producers have made their case but are unlikely to escape from ADD. Provisional duties, ranging from $44.40 to $1033.65/tonne, […]
All mixed up in the West
By Malini Hariharan The blog has been writing about the softening in olefin and polyolefin prices in the US. But the European market presents an interesting contrast offering arbitrage opportunities for those willing to take the risk. Operating rate reductions have been reported at crackers in Priolo, Italy; Tarragona, Spain; Carling, France; Cologne, Germany; and […]
No More Gas For Saudi Private Cos – Industry Source
Ras Tanura in Saudi – private companies bunkered by feedstock shortage? By John Richardson The gas feedstock shortages in Saudi Arabia – which we have commented on before – are such that no private company will receive any allocations in the future, claimed an industry source. “It’s only going to be for Saudi Aramco and […]
Action in the propylene market
By Malini Hariharan Just when Asian propylene prices started easing comes news of disruptions in production and price hikes in the West. Propylene availability in Europe was hit after a strike by Total’s refinery workers early in the week resulted in the closure of 36% of France’s C3 capacity. This forced Total to declare force […]
Is it time for price corrections?
By Malini Hariharan After experiencing steep price hikes over the last few weeks should seller start preparing for a fall? Signs of resistance and a slowdown in buying are being seen across a few products suggesting that price corrections may be imminent. ICIS news reports today that the price rally in PE and PP in […]
No option but to bet on China
By Malini Hariharan Even as market players celebrate the finish of what has been an unexpectedly good year there are not many who expect a repeat performance. A key concern is Chinese demand which saved the industry in 2009. A massive government stimulus package boosted domestic consumption and imports of a wide range of petrochemicals. […]
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