Petrochemical Industry Market Highlights

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Synthetic Fibres
(View a sample of the Synthetic Fibres Chemical Business Focus)
8 March 2010 Issue Number 307

• US retail sales were strong for January rising an unexpected 0.5%
• Invista to shut PTA plant in Wilmington, North Carolina
• Shortages of acrylonitrile leading to acrylic fibre production curtailments and surging prices
• Labour shortages in China following the holiday impacting fibre shipments
• Demand for polyester BCF fibre in the US exceeding supply
• Chinese antidumping duties for PTA from Korea and Thailand help Taiwanese PTA producers

Methanol
(View a sample of the Methanol Chemical Business Focus)
4 March 2010 Issue Number 337

• US Gulf methanol contract prices steady for March at 108-110 c/gal
• Methanex raises its March Asia Pacific Contract Price to $365/ton
• Germany’s Mider-Helm declares force majeure in H2 February
• Venezuela’s Supermetanol begins maintenance in late February
• Smaller Petronas plant in Malaysia remains shut following explosion
• Domestic China market prices decrease slightly in early March

Acetic Acid • Vinyl Acetate
(View a sample of the Acetic Acid • VAM Chemical Business Focus)
2 March 2010 Issue Number 270

• US, Europe VAM prices under pressure from soaring ethylene
• LyondellBasell increases US VAM supply allocation level in March
• Asia acetic acid prices edge higher as supply levels tighten
• Showa Denko to close 150 ktpa ethyl acetate plant by June
• Jiangsu Sopo acetic acid expansion now scheduled for 2011
• PVOH producers seeking price increases starting in Q2 2010

Maleic Anhydride • Acrylic Acid
(View a sample of the Maleic Anhydride • Acrylic Acid Chemical Business Focus)
1 March 2010 Issue Number 227

• US MAn price settlements for March showing provisional increases
• MAn markets finely balanced in Europe, spot prices offered higher
• China’s MAn producers try to up prices on benzene, export enquiries
• Global acrylates market tightens; expectations are for challenging Q2
• Propylene prices keep climbing relentlessly as shortages continue
• Acrylates price increases of 15-20 c/lb announced in US for 1 March

Phthalates • Oxo Alcohols
(View a sample of the Phthalates • Oxo alcohols Chemical Business Focus)  
26 February 2010 Issue Number 338

• 4 c/lb March hike posted for US phthalates
• Some improvement noted in European February phthalates pricing
• Phthalates import prices into China move up $200/ton in a month
• US 2-EH producers target 6 c/lb March price rise
• Tight 2-EH market reported in Europe
• In China later February 2-EH import prices approach $1700/ton cfr level

VCM & PVC
(View a sample of the VCM & PVC Chemical Business Focus)
26 February 2010 Issue Number 354

• Spot EDC prices show no signs of weakening, due to the shortages of chlorine
• Little or no spot export VCM from the US Gulf; prices a nominal $700/ton fob
• VCM prices rise to $840/ton cfr in NE Asia but to $900-950/ton cfr in SE Asia
• The North American PVC prices increase by around 4c/lb for January contracts
• INEOS ChlorVinyls is to end production of PVC at Barry, UK, by end Q2 2010
• Contract PVC prices assessed to have increased by Euro35/ton in NW Europe

Polyamide & Intermediates
(View a sample of the Polyamide & Intermediates Chemical Business Focus) 
19 February 2010 Issue Number 358

• Ammonia moves substantially higher in Tampa February contract settlement
• Radici Group acquires US based compounder Michael Day Enterprises
• Asian benzene price falls as demand eases ahead of Lunar New Year holiday
• Caprolactam and adipic acid both set to rollover in Europe though benzene falls
• India economy set to grow by 7.2% in 2009/10
• Demand for polyamide polymer and fibre continues to strengthen in China

Phenol • Acetone • Cumene
(View a sample of the Phenol • Acetone • Cumene Chemical Business Focus)
19 February 2010 Issue Number 182

• Major upcoming turnarounds in Asia cut exports
• Chinese phenol demand good and prices rise
• Exports keep US phenol rates up; demand poor
• MMA and BPA demand in China tightens acetone
• Europe acetone mixed; US demand stays low
• Shortages see global BPA prices still increasing.

Unsaturated Polyester Resin
(View a sample of the Unsaturated Polyester Resin Chemical Business Focus)
19 February 2010 Issue Number 020

• US UPR price increases go through on strong raw material push
• European UPR producers push hikes in effort to repair margins
• Propylene glycol prices spike on cold weather, limited supplies
• US MAn producers push for further 4 c/lb effective on 1 March
• US styrene monomer contracts take on a further 5 c/lb in January
• US PAn prices increase, tighter supplies support European hikes

Polyester & Intermediates
(View a sample of the Polyester & Intermediates Chemical Business Focus)
18 February 2010  Issue Number 358

• SABIC announces $1050/ton ACP for March; Shell; MEG lobal, $1100/ton
• European January MEG settlement at Euro785/ton; February at Euro840/ton
• European PX balanced on supply, no spot market
• Polyester filament and staple producers enjoy better global market conditions
• Asian PET exporters ease back prices into Europe
• KP confirmed as buyer of Artenius UK PTA & PET assets

PET Packaging Resin
(View a sample of the PET Packaging Resin Chemical Business Focus)
18 February 2010 Issue Number 160

• SABIC announces $1050/ton ACP for March; Shell; MEGlobal, $1100/ton
• European January MEG settlement at Euro785/ton; February at Euro840/ton
• European PX balanced on supply, no spot market
• Asian PTA maintains price level despite lower crude and PX
• Asian PET exporters ease back prices into Europe
• KP confirmed as buyer of Artenius UK PTA & PET assets

Ethylene Glycol
(View a sample of the Ethylene Glycol Chemical Business Focus)
16 February 2010 Issue Number 261

• SABIC announces $1050/ton ACP for March; Shell; MEGlobal, $1100/ton
• European January MEG settlement at Euro785/ton; February at Euro840/ton
• European February ethylene up Euro70/ton to Euro940/ton
• US ethylene spot prices climb to low 50c/lb level in early February
• Chinese spot MEG prices soften $90/ton to $980/ton ahead of holiday
• Europe ethanolamines and glycol ethers prices move up with ethylene

Orthoxylene • Phthalic Anhydride
(View a sample of the OX•PA Chemical Business Focus)
16 February 2010 Issue Number 374

• Spot US MX pricing falls back after February contract settlement
• Hence February US OX contract shows slight decrease of one cent
• European February OX contract moves up a further Euro30/ton in tightish market
• US phthalic takes orthoxylene-related increase but demand remains slow
• Some tightness in European phthalic pushes freely negotiated pricing up
• Falling feedstock prices prompt erosion in Chinese phthalic pricing

Paraxylene
(View a sample of the Paraxylene Chemical Business Focus) 
16 February 2010 Issue Number 374

• North American MX contract up but spot falls
• North American PX down 1.75 c/lb in parity with Asia move
• Asian PX contract price only settled by one producer - down $35/ton
• Asian PTA maintains price level despite lower crude and PX
• European PX balanced on supply, no spot availability
• KP Chemical completes purchase of Artenius PTA & PET assets

Soda • Chlorine
(View a sample of the Soda Chlorine Chemical Business Focus) 
12 February 2010  Issue Number 348

• Dow Chemical announces plans to close its TDIDI plant at Freeport in Q2 2010
• Ineos is to form Kerling Group from its Scandinavian vinyls and ChlorVinyls
• Ineos also confirms plans to sell its fluorochemicals business to Mexichem
• Official GDP data confirms most economies came out of recession in Q4
• Demand in China has started to reduce as the New Year holiday approaches
• Newly updated Plants & Projects Review is now available to our subscribers

Urethane Chemicals
(View a sample of the Urethane Chemicals Chemical Business Focus)
12 February 2010 Issue Number 171

• Dow set to close Freeport, TX TDI plant permanently in quarter two
• TDI prices remain stable in all key regions, but supplies remain snug
• Producers asking for price increases on MDI, negotiations under way
• European polyether polyols prices are still under feedstock pressure
• European propylene glycols prices spike on the back of tight supply
• BDO prices rise by Euro60/ton in Europe, US prices climb by 5 c/lb

Engineering Thermoplastics
(View a sample of the Engineering Thermoplastics Chemical Business Focus)
11 February 2010 Issue Number 019

• POLYAMIDE 6 & 66
  As the US economy recovers, domestic demand has begun to absorb an increasing proportion of
  polyamide polymer production, but prices for polyamide 6 and 66 resin in Asia have steadily increased ...
• POLYCARBONATE
  Demand for polycarbonates in the USA remains quite flat but the supply side has been well-controlled enabling price increases of 4-8c/lb depending on the grade and supplier.
• POLYACETAL
  US polyacetal producers did not issue official price increases for the first quarter, but production
  costs have increased over the past few months.
• PBT
  PBT demand in the US continues to improve, but it is a gradual process and producers remain cautious.
• PBT
  PBT demand in the US continues to improve, but it is a gradual process and producers remain cautious.

Acrylonitrile • Acrylic Fibre
(View a sample of the Acrylonitrile • Acrylic Fibre Chemical Business Focus)
11 February 2010 Issue Number 358

• US February propylene settles at 62 c/lb pushing acrylonitrile still higher
• Ammonia moves substantially higher in Tampa February contract settlement
• India economy set to grow by 7.2% in 2009/10
• Spot acrylonitrile availability in Asia and Europe almost non-existent
• Raw material shortages interrupt global acrylic fibre production
• ABS price increases posted in all regions in line with rising feedstock costs