Americas top stories: weekly summary

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Here are the top stories from ICIS News from the week ended 12 June

VIDEO: Americas PET demand not as strong despite coronavirus-related bump in Q2
Watch Markets Editor, Luly Stephens, provide a Spanish-language update on the PET markets in the Americas region.

Flint Hills to close US ethanol plant in Georgia – sources
US ethanol producer Flint Hills Resources is permanently closing its 120m gal/year ethanol plant in Camilla, Georgia, according to sources.

US chem shares rebound after Thursday sell-off
Most US-listed shares of chemical companies recovered a portion of their losses on Friday, following a large sell-off that saw many stock prices fall by more than 10%.

Sell-off hits US chem shares in worst day since March
US-listed shares of chemical companies fell sharply on Thursday in their worst day since the sell-off in stock markets in March, amid worries that the nation faces a second wave of coronavirus infections.

PODCAST: June could prove turning point for US, European methanol
June could be the turning point for both the US and European methanol markets because demand is expected to pick up – although much will depend on global outages and whether consumers return to their daily lives as quickly as expected.

INSIGHT: Technology helps chemical industry shift from product- to customer-focus
New technology and tools to analyse data are helping chemical companies speed up the multi-decade evolution of the sector from one focused on products to one focused on customers

US chem shares fall again with general market
Most US-listed shares of chemical companies followed by ICIS fell, as the general market declined and the Federal Reserve voted to keep interest rates near 0%.

ICIS WEBINAR: Players gear up for chemical M&A resurgence in H2 2020 bankers
Chemical mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity is poised to pick up in the second half of 2020 as lockdowns ease, and buyers and sellers prepare to get a start on making deals once again, investment bankers said on an ICIS Webinar on Tuesday.

US chem shares fall as general market takes break from rally
Most US-listed shares of the chemical companies followed by ICIS fell on Tuesday along with the general market, after a string of rallies.

Shift to disposable utensils boosts US PS demand
Demand for US polystyrene (PS) is receiving a boost from increased use of disposable utensils in the restaurant sector amid increasing concerns over public hygiene.

Most US chem shares rise with general market
Most US-listed shares of chemical companies rose on Monday, still riding high on Friday’s surprising jobs report and news of easing lockdowns.