SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Here are the top stories from ICIS News Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 29 November 2019.
China
Jan-Sept PE imports rise 18%; Mideast remains
top exporter
China’s polyethylene (PE) imports in
January-September 2019 rose by 17.8% year on
year, with the Middle East likely to remain as
the country’s biggest supplier of the polymer
in the coming years.
Deep-sea BD supply to
Asia to dwindle after US plant blasts
Deep-sea butadiene (BD) supply to Asia will
dwindle following
explosions that hit a major US plant, with
shipments to the region in December likely to
be affected.
Asia
PP capacity expansion poses challenges to
Mideast suppliers
Significant polypropylene (PP) capacity
expansion in Asia could squeeze the market
share of Middle East suppliers in the region.
Asia’s caustic soda
market to remain well-supplied into
December
Asia’s caustic soda market is expected to
remain well-supplied into December amid
sluggish demand and global economic slowdown.
Asia
naphtha crack spread at six-week high; demand
holds up
Asia’s naphtha crack spread rose to six-week
highs, as steady demand helps to
absorb supply, which is expected to be
sustained in the near term.
Asia
TiO2 December outlook bearish as Chinese demand
shrivels up
Asia’s titanium dioxide (TiO2) market outlook
in December remains bearish, with demand in
China expected to taper down in the weeks
ahead.