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 November 2020.

China to launch ICIS-linked benzene swap contracts in Q1 2021
China will launch in early 2021 a central counterparty clearing in Shanghai for benzene swaps contracts, which will adopt ICIS’ ex-tank and yuan-denominated quotes as benchmark for monthly settlement.

Asia’s PBR market sees support from feedstock BD, demand and bullish sentiment
Asia’s high-cis polybutadiene rubber (PBR) market is seeing support from the feedstock butadiene (BD) surge and prevailing firm demand amid bullish market sentiment.

Asia petrochemical shares rise on US’ Biden transition, vaccine progress
Asian petrochemical shares were mostly higher on Tuesday after US President-elect Joe Biden was given the go-ahead to begin the transition process in the White House, and on news of a third effective coronavirus vaccine.

Shipping delays may weaken demand for ABS in southeast Asia
Shipping delays from northeast Asian acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) producers to southeast Asian end-users are likely to lead to a softening of demand for spot cargoes into southeast Asia.

Asia’s EDC near-term supply to remain constricted
Asia’s tight availability of ethylene dichloride (EDC) is expected to remain constricted due a protracted lack of deep-sea availability.