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 GOVERNMENT stimulus is crucial for protecting polyethylene (PE) markets in the West from the worst effects of the pandemic, in my opinion. The developing world is a different story because of the rise of extreme poverty. There are other factors behind the resilience of PE demand the US and the EU such...
By John Richardson IT IS dead simple, apparently. All you have to do is find alternative geographical markets to China as China moves towards petroche...
ReadNote: All the data comparisons below are year-on-year By John Richardson IF YOU closely study H1 data on China petr...
ReadBy John Richardson Opinions and emotions and can shape how we interpret data, but, as we all know, our personal views need to be put on hold and our e...
ReadBy John Richardson ALL looks fine in the polyolefins world. The Old Normal appears to have reasserted itself as Chinese demand has come roaring back. ...
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.
The chemical industry is the best leading indicator for the global economy. On Friday, I had the privilege of discussing a wide range of key issues wi...
ReadOil prices have moved into another ‘flag shape’ – which previously provided critical warning of the March collapse, and of those in ...
ReadGovernments, financial markets and central banks all originally assumed the Covid-19 pandemic would be over in a few days or weeks. But it is now clea...
ReadNot many companies still operate in the same way as 500 years ago, or even 50 years ago. But in manufacturing, it’s quite common. As the pictu...
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.
Spot LNG prices remain at rock-bottom levels despite major cuts to global production, especially from the US. The ICIS EAX price for spot LNG deliveries to east Asia during August averaged $2.180/MMBtu from mid-June to mid-July, down 53% from the same time last year. The ICIS TTF spot gas benchmark for Europe was even lower,...
Today marks the first day of the second half of 2020, and as I’m sure you will all agree, a lot has changed in six months. If you can all cast your ...
ReadSpot LNG prices remained very weak in the period from mid-May to mid-June. Growing numbers of US cargo cancellations being planned across the summer h...
ReadAs the Covid-19 pandemic enters its sixth month, we are starting to get more data on the impacts that efforts to contain the disease have had on the g...
ReadSpot LNG prices remain at historically low levels, the result of ongoing structural oversupply in the market after recent years in which new supply pr...
ReadThe ICIS Chemical connections blog delves into the chemicals and commodities behind some of the world’s biggest companies. Daniel tracks and provides analysis on 167 companies in the oil and gas, commodities, chemicals, speciality chemicals, plastics, packaging and fertilizers markets and Jeremy analyses macro and micro trends affecting the North American chemicals industry, from olefins, aromatics and solvents to general-purpose and engineered plastics.
The fourth quarter (Q4) of 2020 is the most consequential quarter in generations. It feels like hyperbole to type and sounds just as sensationalistic when said aloud, but not since Q4 1941, when the bombing of Pearl Harbor changed the US’ relationship with the rest of the globe for the next 80 years, has there...
The multiple linear regression analysis technique shows a 0.87 R-squared value for Westlake Chemical’s quarterly EBITDA (2012-2020) as the dependant...
ReadBy John Richardson Opinions and emotions and can shape how we interpret data, but, as we all know, our personal views need to be put on hold and our e...
ReadThe coronavirus pandemic is amplifying birth rate trends in many parts of the world, creating via procreation (or lack thereof) challenges and opportu...
ReadBy John Richardson ALL looks fine in the polyolefins world. The Old Normal appears to have reasserted itself as Chinese demand has come roaring back. ...
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