Media hype over the potential for a 0.25% interest rate rise by the US Federal Reserve is well underway. But as often happens these days, this is missing the bigger picture. The issue is simple: developments in China are far more important to the global economy than anything the Fed might, or might not, do […]
Chemicals and the Economy
Analyst hype over India’s ‘middle class’ repeats China mistake
Wishful thinking can have a very bad impact on company and investor profits. Look, for example, at the problems caused by the belief that China’s population had suddenly become middle class, based on average incomes of $2-$20/day. Now it seems the same process of mythologising is underway with India, with ratings agency S&P suggesting yesterday that: “India […]
China’s downturn means global car sales now set to plateau
Where would the global auto industry and its suppliers be without China? That’s a question to which we will probably learn the answer over the next few years, as China’s demand growth slows to more sustainable levels under its New Normal policies. So the chart above is a useful snapshot of market developments in the […]
Group think on oil prices puts company profits at risk
Shell Chemicals General Manager, Kate Johnson, asked a great question at our Conference last week, to which not a single hand went up in reply, as everyone had forecast an oil price around $100/bbl : “How many of your companies used $60/bbl as their oil price forecast in the 2015 Budget?” “Group think” is clearly […]
UK’s ageing population causes earnings to decline
The UK economy appears to be recovering well from the financial crisis. But appearances can be deceptive. Certainly employment has risen for both men and women since 2009, and the jobless rate has fallen. But new data yesterday from the Office for National Statistics highlights how, despite these achievements, total incomes have been falling in real […]
Japan goes back into recession as stimulus policies fail, again
This week’s economic data from Japan confirmed, once again, that demographic changes are far more important for the economy than monetary stimulus. Japan’s premier Abe took power in 2012, promising to end the decline in Japan’s economic growth. He appointed a new Governor for the Bank of Japan, and claimed that his “3 arrows policy” […]
China’s total lending declines as shadow sector squeezed
Go, go, go, said the bird: human kind Cannot bear very much reality. Time past and time future What might have been and what has been Point to one end, which is always present These lines from the great poet TS Eliot seem to sum up current thinking towards China. Analysts compete with themselves to […]
What If 3D Printing Was 100x Faster? | TED Talks
Major change is underway in manufacturing and supply chains. China’s slowdown has exposed the myth that its demand would support ever-increasing production of commodities such as metals and oil. As the Financial Times reported yesterday: “Back in the summer, Glencore’s combative chief executive Ivan Glasenberg led a chorus of mining executives in blaming speculative funds for driving […]
Oil price forecasts based on myths, not proper analysis
Did your company or investment manager use $50/bbl as a forecast Scenario price for oil this year? If not, why not? And has this question even been asked, as you finalise forecasts for 2016? In recent months, many readers have told me despairingly of their efforts to suggest alternative Scenarios to last year’s “consensus” view […]
World Aromatics Conference focuses on key industry challenges
Maintaining a competitive edge in a low cost feedstock scenario is the theme of next week’s World Aromatics & Derivatives Conference in Amsterdam on 17 – 18 November. Co-organised as always with ICIS, we will benefit from the insight of key executives from the global industry including: Covestro’s Global Procurement head, Dirk Jan de With Dow Chemicals’ Corporate Chief […]
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