By John Richardson SHELL Chemicals put an argument forward last week that polystyrene (PS) had regained ground from polypropylene (PP) as a result of expensive propylene. And the petrochemicals major forecast a bright future for both PS and expandable polystyrene (EPS). The blog pretty much always enjoys playing the devil’s advocate and so later on […]
Asian Chemical Connections
Saudi Petchem Production Threatens Recovery
By John Richardson RISING oil production in Saudi Arabia has resulted in bigger volumes of polyethylene (PE) being delivered into Asia-Pacific markets, a source with a major plastics processor told the blog late last week. “Saudi Arabia has definitely, in my view, already raised PE production on more availability of associated gas. I am seeing […]
Bullish on styrene and benzene
By Malini Hariharan Styrene’s addition by the US to a list of ‘anticipated carcinogens’ does not seem to have affected producers demand growth expectations for the product or for its key feedstock benzene. Speaking at the 5th ICIS Asian Aromatics and Derivatives Conference in Singapore earlier this week, Alexander Farina, Shell Chemical’s general manager for […]
The China Inflation Muddle
By John Richardson THE fascinating, but also at the same time frustrating, complexity of the Chinese economy has been thrown into further relief this week in the debate over the implications of the June 6.4% inflation rate. The rate, the highest in close to three years, was seen as especially worrying by some economists because […]
India PP dumping: The story continues
By Malini Hariharan The fight against anti-dumping duties (ADD) imposed by India on polypropylene (PP) exported by Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Oman is not yet over. Some of the major companies that face ADD have taken the matter to the Indian Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal and the issue is due to come […]
Europe Not Clutching At Straws
By John Richardson EUROPEAN ethylene and polyethylene (PE) market participants seem a million miles away from buying into the idea that the recovery in Asia is sustainable. This is a realistic view following last week’s interest rate rise in China, the fifth in eight months – and with the announcement over the weekend that inflation in June […]
Living In Hope Rather Than Expectation
By John Richardson HOPEFUL theories espoused by traders can sometimes sound a little hollow – as was the case with the one doing the rounds in Asian polyolefin markets late last week. “We think the latest interest rate rise in China will be the last this year and so, in a way, the announcement was good […]
China’s methanol economy
By Malini Hariharan China is well set to take on an even larger role in the global methanol industry. The country already accounts for a little over 40% of demand and its share is set to expand rapidly in the coming years. The blog recently caught up with Ken Yin, the China methanol markets editor […]
China Polyolefin Prices Rally
In the second part of our analysis of the effect of China’s latest interest-rate rise we look at how the polyolefin market has alllegedly taken the decision in its stride. Crude markets are a different story altogether…. By John Richardson CHINA’S polyolefin market has improved over the last week thanks to a recovery in oil prices […]
Impact of China’s Latest Rate Rise – Part 1
Here is the first of two posts that will analyse the implications of China’s decision to raise interest rates for the third time this year By John Richardson CHINA’S decision to once again raise interest rates will put further pressure on the hard-pressed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that make up the bulk of the country’s chemicals and polymer […]
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