Americas top stories: weekly summary
ICIS Editorial
08-Jan-2018
HOUSTON (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 5 January:
OUTLOOK ’18:
Uncertainty persists as NAFTA renegotiation
deadline draws near
Negotiations for the reworking of NAFTA –
the nearly 24-year-old free-trade agreement
between the US, Canada and Mexico – is set
to finish in 2018, but forecasters are
virtually split over what a renegotiated NAFTA
could mean, if it manages to occur at all.
US January
benzene contracts settle down as supply issues
ease
US January benzene contracts settled
lower as supply constraints experienced in the
months of November and December begin to ease,
ICIS confirmed on Tuesday.
US December
ethylene contracts settle down 0.75
cent/lb
US December ethylene contracts have
settled at a decrease of 0.75 cent/lb from the
prior month, market sources said on Tuesday.
OUTLOOK ’18: US
propylene production set to expand in
2018
With the start-up of a
new propane dehydrogenation (PDH)
unit and several
crackers, propylene capacity in the
US is set to expand during 2018, while
downstream capacity remains steady.
OUTLOOK ’18: US
isocyanate buyers hoping to see improved
supply
US isocyanate buyers are hoping to see
improved supply conditions in 2018, after both
methyl di-p phenylene isocyanate (MDI)
and toluene di-isocyanate (TDI)
markets saw significant price increases over
the course of 2017, driven by persistent supply
tightness.
OUTLOOK ’18
Americas base oil industry moves into Group III
use
The Americas base oil industry is moving
strongly into Group III base stock use in 2018
as new vehicle engines will require more of the
light viscosity oils.
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