John Richardson’s Asian Chemicals Connections looks at Asian and global commodity chemicals and polymer pricing trends, supply and demand, macroeconomics, energy and environmental issues.
By John Richardson NOTHING that’s happened over the last few days that should surprise anyone who has been following my blog over the last few years. What was obviously impossible to forecast was the timing and nature of the catalyst. As I wrote on Monday: This crisis has been a long time coming. The build-up...
By John Richardson YOU CANNOT stimulate economic activity when factories and offices need to be shut down, airlines are forced to cancel thousands of ...
ReadBy John Richardson IT IS TIME for crisis planning, I am afraid, as a result of the World Health Organisation’s warning that the “window of opportu...
ReadThe most important issue here remains the human cost of the coronavirus outbreak. My thoughts and hopes continue to go out to my friends, contacts and...
ReadBy John Richardson I AM a bit confused this morning following some excitement about the Chinese decision to allow polyethylene (PE) importers to apply...
ReadGuest blogger, Paul Hodges looks behind today's headlines and studies key influencers shaping the chemical industry over the next 12-18 months. He takes a closer look at oil prices, economic growth and the environment among other things, along with some light-hearted commentary along the way.
Beijing has a population of 21.5 million, but you wouldn’t know it from this BBC video from last Thursday. Normally busy streets and transport systems are eerily empty, with food deliveries often the main traffic on the roads. It’s the same picture in industry, with the Baidu Migration Index reporting only 26% of migrant workers...
China’s industrial heartland of Hubei (pop 59m) and its capital Wuhan (pop 11m) have now been locked down for nearly a month as a result of the ...
ReadLast month, our Hong Kong-based pH Report colleague, Daniël de Blocq van Scheltinga, warned of the “Possible development (epidemic?) of the Wuh...
ReadA. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty set out the rules for leaving the European Union. As with most negotiations, it assumed the leaving country would p...
ReadParadigm shifts start slowly at first, and it is easy to miss them. But then one day, they suddenly become obvious, and it becomes a scramble to catch...
ReadICIS energy editors post their expert opinions on the major topics facing participants in the European gas, electricity, LNG and oil markets. This blog will look behind the headlines and critically analyse the impact of market developments on the industry, with some more light-hearted posts thrown in for good humour.
Global LNG prices remained soft in the four weeks to mid-January as US export projects continued to progress, adding yet more capacity to an already o...
ReadSpot LNG prices over the past four weeks for January 2020 cargoes to Asia averaged $5.515/MMBtu, falling back 11% from average prices for December 201...
ReadSpot LNG prices in east Asia softened over the past four weeks on indications of mild weather for the winter ahead and against a background of strong ...
ReadCuts to Dutch gas production, French nuclear troubles and a court case impacting Russian pipe flows combined to give a sharp upwards boost to spot gas...
ReadICIS editors and consultants give their views on the big questions raised by market events and developments. By analysing market conditions, supply and demand, and other factors influencing future profitability, they set today’s markets into context and provide an outlook for 2016 and beyond.
Taking look at the latest EIA data (published 4/28/2017) with a little ICIS analytics thrown in: The amount of ethane recovered in February was up 20%...
ReadOne of the most disheartening parts of being in the price forecasting business, particularly in the energy price forecasting business, is that, despit...
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