Asia top stories – weekly summary
ICIS Editorial
03-Dec-2018
SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 30 November.
BASF
TDI plant output halt could stem GCC price
decline
A
production halt at BASF’s flagship toluene
di-isocyanate (TDI) plant in Ludwigshafen,
Germany, could halt the downtrend in prices in
the Middle East, but a sharp recovery may still
not materialize yet.
Asia
SAN extends losses on weak China
demand
Asia’s styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) prices
extended losses this week with demand in the
key Chinese market remaining weak.
Asia
ABS market to stay weak on tepid
demand
Asia’s acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)
market has remained weak with prices drifting
lower in the Chinese spot market, and regional
buying interest likely to stay tepid in the
near term.
China
BDO falls for 8th month in a row, demand to
remain soft
China’s butanediol (BDO) prices have been on a
downtrend for eight consecutive months in
November on oversupply and weak demand, a
situation likely to continue to cast its
shadows on the market till the end of the year.
Asia
MTBE prices rebound; market outlook stays
bearish
Asia’s methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE)
prices rebounded on the back of higher bids for
Singapore exports, but the market outlook
remains bearish.
BASF
TDI plant output halt could stem GCC price
decline
A
production halt at BASF’s flagship toluene
di-isocyanate (TDI) plant in Ludwigshafen,
Germany, could halt the downtrend in prices in
the Middle East, but a sharp recovery may still
not materialize yet.
Asia’s MMA prices slide
to over 13-month lows on slow demand
Asia’s methyl methacrylate (MMA) spot markets
have slid to more than 13-month lows,
reflecting slow buying momentum and a lack of
market confidence, industry participants said.
Malaysia B10
implementation to boost biodiesel
consumption
Malaysia’s consumption of biodiesel will get a
boost as its government’s mandatory nationwide
implementation of the B10 biodiesel blending
programme is due to kick in this weekend,
market sources said.
GPCA
’18: Chem players need to speed up efforts on
plastic waste crisis – execs
The petrochemicals industry will need to speed
up its efforts in innovating and collaborating
with other industries to solve the global
plastics waste crisis, key industry executives
said.
GPCA
’18: Southeast Asia PE players to brace for the
onset of supply pressure
Polyethylene (PE) players in southeast Asia are
bracing for the onset of supply pressure and
expect December prices to be weighed down as a
result.
GPCA
’18: Southeast, south Asia on the radar of US
PE sellers
Polyethylene (PE) markets in southeast and
south Asia will be on the radar of US producers
as they prepare to export greater volumes in
2019, industry sources said.
GPCA
’18: Pakistan PE/PP demand struggles amid crude
slump
Spot polymer demand in Pakistan continues to
struggle amid the steep decline in crude values
as it has prompted price uncertainties, giving
rise to a bearish near-term outlook.
Speaking to ICIS at the sidelines of the Gulf
Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA)
Forum currently underway in Dubai, market
sources said that off take for December is
likely to remain curtailed to a need-based
sourcing of product.
GPCA
’18: Q1 2019 to lend clearer direction for
polymers
The first quarter of 2019 is likely to lend a
clearer direction to how the rest of the year
would shape up for the polymers markets
worldwide, given that uncertainty and pessimism
persists going into end of 2018.
GPCA
’18: GCC polymer exports to grow amid US-China
trade war
Polymers exports of Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) countries are set to increase amid the
US-China trade war.
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