Americas top stories: weekly summary

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 2 March:

DowDuPont names three company brands for separation
US-based DowDuPont announced on Monday corporate brand names for the three divisions that it intends to spin off following its 2017 merger.

Output cuts at Brazil alumina refinery may displace US caustic exports
US exporters of caustic soda may need to find another destination for several dry metric tonnes (dmt) of material if a Brazilian alumina refinery complies with an order to reduce capacity.

NAFTA crucial for US chemicals growth – ACC report
Withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement could create a tariff burden of up to $9bn on US chemical exports to Canada and Mexico, while potentially lowering chemical exports to these countries by $22bn, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) said on Wednesday.

Three sticking points could hamper NAFTA deal – ACC
Three major sticking points in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the US, Mexico and Canada are of major concern to the US chemical sector, the head of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) said on Wednesday.

US March benzene contracts settle lower, tracking weaker spot
US March benzene contracts settled 5 cents/gal ($15/tonne) lower at $3.06/gal free on board (FOB) US Gulf, sources confirmed on Thursday.

US February ethylene settles 2.75 cents/lb lower
US February ethylene contracts have settled for a majority of participants at a decline of 2.75 cents/lb from the prior month amid lower spot prices and lower production costs, market sources said on late on Thursday and on Friday.