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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

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Forthcoming Events

  • The 2nd China International Acetic Acid – Vinyl Acetate Forum
    14 - 16 April 2010
    Shanghai
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  • Chlor-Alkali Business Training Seminar
    4 - 7 May 2010
    Hôtel Hôtel Mercure Thalassa, Port - Fréjus, France
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  • Polyester & Polyamide Conference
    9 - 10 June 2010
    Le Méridien Parkhotel Frankfurt
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  • 2010 Asian Chlor-Alkali Conferences
    24 - 25 June 2010
    Venue to be confirmed
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  • 7th China International Polyester & Intermediates Forum
    3 - 5 November 2010
    Shanghai
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  • 4th International Polyurethane Summit in China
    11 - 12 November 2010
    China
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  • 8th China International Polyamide & Intermediates Forum
    1 - 3 December 2010
    Shanghai
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