Asia top stories – weekly summary

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 31 August 2018.

SE Asia NBR may soften in September on sluggish demand
Acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) prices in southeast Asia are expected to soften in September due to sluggish demand.

Asia spot naphtha premiums flip to discounts on supply overhang
Asia’s naphtha spot premiums have flipped to discounts on the back of a well-supplied market which is poised to see greater western arbitrage flows.

Chinese PMDI import prices to remain under pressure on weak demand
China’s polymeric methyl di-p-phenylene isocyanate (PMDI) import prices plummeted by more than $200/tonne within a week, to fresh two year-low levels, and the downtrend looks set to extend further, if downstream demand fails to pick up soon.

China’s plastics waste ban to inevitably boost polyester feedstocks demand, concerns growing
China’s ban on imported plastics waste could not only boost demand for virgin material significantly but also polyester feedstocks paraxylene (PX), purified terephthalate acid (PTA) and monoethylene glycol (MEG).

NE Asia LER slides to eight-month low; recovery expected
Northeast Asia’s liquid epoxy resins (LER) spot prices have softened to an eight-month low, with near-term recovery expected as demand improves.

South Asia PP market bullish on China gains, tighter supply
South Asia’s polypropylene (PP) market remains bullish, propped up by recent recovery in China’s import prices and limited spot supply.

Asia IPA outlook mixed in the near term on differing opinions
Asian isopropanol (IPA) market in the near term is looking mixed amid a slight fall in Chinese domestic prices even though supply is tight in the local market.

Asia ABS falls amid trade war jitters; producers’ margins shrink
Asia’s acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) market weakened further this week with demand from end-users and traders staying lacklustre.

Asia naphtha premiums tumble on plentiful supply
Asia’s naphtha spot premiums have plummeted on the back of ample supplies, with greater surplus arbitrage cargoes expected to land in the region next month.