Europe top stories: weekly summary

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 13 January.

Sulphur market braces for Asian dry spell
Sulphur sentiment is largely bearish as the market prepares for lacklustre demand from key importers in Asia.

Chemicals production in Europe track mixed trajectories
Chemicals production in Europe presented a mixed picture in November, with growth and contraction recorded in the region’s key manufacturing countries, according to the EU’s statistical agency Eurostat on Friday.

Europe PC high inventory, buyer caution dim recovery hopes
Buying appetite in Europe’s polycarbonate (PC) market remains downbeat at the start of 2023 as signs of any effort to build inventories appear non-existent and buyers continue to display caution.

UK chemicals need continued govt support with energy costs to limit competitive disadvantage – trade group
The Chemical Industries Association is calling for continued support from Government for UK firms that are struggling to compete with producers from other regions with lower power prices, less of a carbon price challenge and more supportive investment conditions.

Scotland’s challenges raise questions around Deposit Return Schemes
The challenges faced by Scotland’s upcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) continue to grow, while recent industry data shows high collection rates can be achieved without a DRS in place, potentially raising questions whether DRS is the only route to better collection.

Global IPEX slides in December as chemical prices soften in all regions
The ICIS Petrochemical Index (IPEX) fell 1.3% month on month in December as chemical prices fell in all three regions.