Europe top stories: weekly summary

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

Eurozone private sector returns to growth in January as inflation heats up
Private sector activity in the eurozone returned to a growth footing for the first time in nearly half a year in January, with an expanding service sector counterbalancing stronger but still contractionary manufacturing.

Europe phenol market squeezed by low demand, high energy costs in Q1
The European phenol market has had a tough start to 2025, with the outlook for demand weak for the first half of the year and the specter of growing energy costs challenging margins.

Eastern Europe colourless PET bottle bale prices rise as availability tightens
Colder weather means less polyethylene terephthalate (PET) beverage bottle consumption, and as winter grips Europe, many PET recyclers expect feedstock bale availability to tighten during Q1.

US tariffs slower to materialize as Trump assumes the US Presidency
US Presidential inauguration day packed with fresh legislation saw few of the expected moves on tariffs and trade policy.

Europe PE/PP 2025 contract talks see buyers and sellers practice caution
Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) contracts talks for 2025 have seen players in Europe adopt a cautious outlook.