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 THE ten most polluted cities in the world are all in Northern India. It is therefore hardly surprising that a Lancet study found that pollution killed 1.24m Indians in 2017 — half of them younger than 70. This lowered the country’s average life expectancy by 1.7 years. These were just some of...
By John Richardson CHINA’S full-year 2018 lending figures are out and they underline what I’d be warning throughout last year – the withdrawal o...
ReadGuest blogger today is Ajay Parmar. He is a chemical engineering professional with 5 years of industrial experience in oil refining, primarily in a pr...
ReadBy John Richardson TURKEY’S apparent demand for PE may have fallen by 8% in 2018 to around 2m tonnes from 2.2m tonnes of demand in 2017, I estim...
ReadBy John Richardson THE ABOVE table illustrates the 2018 impact on smaller LLDPE markets of the arrival of big volumes of new US production. Big percen...
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.
Many indicators are now pointing towards a global downturn in the economy, along with paradigm shifts in demand patterns. CEOs need to urgently build resilient business models to survive and prosper in this New Normal world, as I discuss in my 2019 Outlook and video interview with ICIS. Global recession is the obvious risk as we start...
How can companies and investors avoid losing money as the global economy goes into a China-led recession? That’s the key question as we enter ...
ReadLast year it was Bitcoin, in 2016 it was the near-doubling in US 10-year interest rates, and in 2015 was the oil price fall. This year, once again, ...
ReadThe chemical industry is easily the best leading indicator for the global economy. And thanks to Kevin Swift and his team at the American Chemistry ...
ReadThere will be no shortage of important topics to discuss on Thursday, at my regular Chemistry and the Economy: 2019 Outlook webinar for the American C...
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.
The UK had indicated in 2015 that the generation tariff under the FiT scheme would end in March 2019 but Thursday’s announcement means the export ta...
ReadAs the bill to cut production from the Netherlands’ giant Groningen field makes its way through the Dutch halls of power, the challenges of implemen...
ReadTime is running out for energy companies that have to work out if they will be included or exempted by upcoming financial rules that will make some of...
Read“Alternative energy”. Is that still a common phrase? In some quarters, it is. In a recent New York Times Trump-themed article, the phrase was in t...
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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