Asia top stories – weekly summary

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 27 September 2019.

Asia petchem supply concerns ease as Saudi feedstock woes now over
Concerns about petrochemical supply disruption to Asia have eased following normalization of feedstock supply to Saudi Arabian producers, partially causing declines in regional prices of selected products.

Asia PX supply to lengthen on weak demand, new capacities
The Asian paraxylene (PX) market is unlikely to elude a longer supply going forward as demand will stay weak while new capacities are due to come on stream before the end of the year.

Saudi Arabia’s SABIC says feedstock supply back to normal
Saudi Arabia chemicals major SABIC on Thursday announced that feedstock supply from Saudi Aramco for some of its subsidiaries has returned to normal.

Japan’s Mitsui Chemicals eyes bio-PP commercialisation in 2024
Mitsui Chemicals is looking at commercializing its bio-polypropylene (PP) project based on a new technology by 2024 at the earliest, the Japanese producer said on Thursday.

China’s 2-EH market may be balanced around National Day holiday
Market players believe that the 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) market in China may be balanced in the short term as the restarts of some units before and after the National Day holiday (1-7 October) may offset the boom of re-stocking activities during the same period.

Asia MTBE supply tightest in a year; China eyes export
Asia’s methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) posted three weeks of consecutive gains, reflecting continued supply tightness in the region which may be further prolonged.

China’s phenol market eyes on Oct demand recovery
China’s domestic phenol market is bracing for a demand recovery after the 70th China National Day holiday (1-7 October 2019), with buying to take place gradually.