Europe top stories: weekly summary
ICIS Editorial
06-Nov-2017
LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 3 November.
Europe benzene market
still firm on US tightness as exports
continue
The European benzene spot
market remained firm this week with prices
holding up as significant volumes are still
being shipped to the US where supply continues
to be tight, players said on Friday.
INTERACTIVE: Global
refinery earnings could halve by 2035 on
climate risk
An independent think-tank
has prompted investors in the refining industry
to reassess risks from clean technologies and
climate regulations and to be wary of future
investments as falling demand for oil could
halve the industry’s earnings by 2035.
Eurozone manufacturing
grows in October at fastest rate since
2011
Manufacturing sector output
growth reached its highest level since April
2011 in October, with economies in northwest
Europe leading the productivity gains, analyst
HIS Markit said on Thursday.
Germany’s chem output up
1.3% in Q3, annual forecast upgraded –
VCI
The German chemical trade group
VCI upgraded on Thursday its outlook for the
country’s industry in 2017 following a strong
third quarter.
Europe PE buyers target
spread erosion for November
sellers
Polyethylene (PE) buyers in
Europe are targeting some penetration into
producers’ ethylene/PE spread in November
following a fairly widespread follow-through of
the monomer hike onto PE prices in October,
sources said on Wednesday.
Clariant dodges breakup
fees in scrapped Huntsman merger
The
cancellation of merger plans between Clariant
and Huntsman in the face of opposition from an
activist investor means that the
Switzerland-headquartered company is unlikely
to be called on to pay millions in breakup
fees, according to CFO Patrick Jany.
Swiss
Clariant holds talks with White Tale after US
Huntsman merger collapse
Clariant has
confirmed that initial talks have taken place
with activist shareholder White Tale Holdings,
which last week increased its stake in the firm
to 20%, scuppering the planned merger with US
Huntsman, the Swiss firm said on Monday.
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