Europe top stories: weekly summary

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 24 March.

European oxo-alcohols players lament as indications point to weak coatings season
European oxo-alcohols market participants are bracing for a slow coatings season as economic turmoil continues. EU construction output is forecast to contract and coatings volume discussions failed to materialise in March.

EU unveils plans to tackle greenwashing
The European Commission has launched a proposal to stamp out greenwashing in a bid to support consumers seeking sustainable alternatives.

Europe butadiene contract set at €970/tonne for April
The European butadiene (BD) contract reference price for April has decreased by €20/tonne to €970/tonne.

European PE and PP buyers pause following upstream drop
The European polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) market has slowed down slightly this week, after a stronger start to March.

Europe markets firm after emergency UBS Credit Suisse purchase
European markets firmed on Monday after Switzerland-based banking group UBS announced plans to acquire embattled rival Credit Suisse, raising market hopes that banking sector contagion may be limited.