Europe top stories: weekly summary

ICIS Editorial

10-Dec-2018

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 7 December.

Europe naphtha-based cracker margins fall, LPG margins rise week on week
European cracker margins based on naphtha feedstock have fallen week on week, while those based on LPG have risen, according to ICIS margin analysis.

Germany’s chemicals prepare for ‘less optimistic’ 2019 as upswing nears end – VCI
Germany’s chemicals industry’s outlook for 2019 is “less optimistic” due to looming global trade conflicts, a slowdown in the country’s economy and Brexit unknowns, trade group VCI said.

Rhine’s improvement eases feedstock supply at BASF’s Ludwigshafen site, some barges fully loading
Rainfall in the last few days has led to an improvement on the River Rhine’s water levels, with some barges now able to fully load, according to a spokesperson for the German federal waterways authority (BAFG).

UK, Europe chemicals face more uncertainty amid Brexit parliamentary chaos
The UK chemical industry and its trading partners face more uncertainty about the eventual format of Brexit as the government suffered a series of defeats in parliament ahead of a crucial vote to approve the deal on offer.

Europe PE Dec prices down sharply on feedstocks, but producers aim to retain margin
European polyethylene (PE) prices are dropping for December, but the amount of the price decrease in freely negotiated accounts is not yet clear.

Re-design, use plastics waste as a resource key to circular economy – Europe trade groups
Re-designing plastic products and using plastics waste as a resource are crucial elements in a circular economy, European plastics trade groups and the region’s chemicals sustainability promotion platform SusChem said.

Further falls expected for Europe Dec PS despite unseasonably strong demand
Monthly contract negotiations have started in the European polystyrene (PS) market this week with further downward pressure on prices amid another triple-digit drop in upstream costs, sources said.

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