Industry News
Chemical Industry News
Global base oils margins outlook: Week of 7 Oct
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Global base oils prices fall relative to feedstock/competing fuel prices as crude prices rebound. Supply-demand fundamentals remain unchanged for now despite sudden volatility of...
KeyBanc downgrades Celanese on auto downshift, China acetyls capacity growth
NEW YORK (ICIS)--KeyBanc Capital Markets has downgraded Celanese from “overweight” to “sector weight” on weakness in the automotive market as well as continuing China capacity expansions in...
Ammonia market holds breath on snug supply, Middle East tensions
LONDON (ICIS)--The ammonia market is expected to remain firm in October due to ongoing tight availability and tensions in the Middle East. Availability from most producers remains tight Natural gas...
FBMC WEEKLY: France to remain net power exporter
LONDON (ICIS)--France is forecast as the cheapest market across the flow-based market coupling (FBMC) region through week 41, which indicates that the country is likely to maintain a net power export...
European PVC spot prices flat amid low demand, reduced imports
LONDON (ICIS)--European polyvinyl chloride (PVC) spot prices were stable in the week ending 4 October, as weak demand has balanced reduced imports from the US and Egypt in domestic and export...
European caustic soda prices stable as tight supply limits activity
LONDON (ICIS)--European caustic soda spot prices rolled over in the week ending 4 October, with tight export markets limiting business in NWE and the Mediterranean. Northwest European FOB (free on...
Dutch gas storage targets for 2025 to be comfortably met
The Netherlands releases its storage targets for 2025 Dutch market allowed different storage targets than those aligned to an EU 90% goal by November The European Commission is yet to release its own...
Rally in urea price to boost demand for AS
LONDON (ICIS)--A recent uptick in urea prices is expected to bode well for ammonium sulphate (AS) sales as many buyers will be looking to replace urea with the more affordable AS as their nitrogen...
European Commission publishes second EU hydrogen bank auction conditions
LONDON (ICIS)--On 27 September 2024 the European Commission published its final terms and conditions for the second EU hydrogen bank auction, which is expected to take place before the end of 2024....
FOB S Korea solvent-isomer MX price gap narrows
SINGAPORE (ICIS)-- Healthy gains for solvent grade mixed xylenes (MX) export prices from South Korea in the week ended 4 October resulted in a narrowing of the price gap with isomer grade MX, ICIS...
EPCA ’24: Europe BDO weakness continues amid tepid economy, cheaper Asian offers
LONDON (ICIS)--Despite several significant moves since the start of this year, the butanediol (BDO) market in Europe appears to be back where it was 12 months ago - facing low demand with import...
microRNA discovery wins Nobel prize in medicine
Research on tiny RNA molecules unlocked mysteries of gene regulation and cell differentiation
Europe MTBE spot prices increase
LONDON (ICIS)--European methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) price range increased this week, with the rise in gasoline prices. MTBE’s factor to gasoline was accessed at 1.15 through the week. Date...
Global urea prices up on Middle East tensions
LONDON (ICIS)--Supply concerns would continue to boost urea prices in October, but lack of buying by end users could put downward pressure on levels in November-December. Concern of shipment delays,...
EPCA ’24: Europe MMA players downbeat about demand outlook
LONDON (ICIS)--Players in Europe's methyl methacrylate (MMA) market are downbeat about demand in Q4, ahead of the EPCA conference in Berlin. Demand expected to remain sluggish for Q4 Import costs...
Global base oils cargo flows: Week of 7 Oct
SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Global base oils cargo flows: Week of 7 Oct Cargo of Group II light-grade base oils loads from Taiwan in recent days before moving to China. Shipment is first in more than a week...
The fate of Nobel prize medals
Over the years, Nobel prize medals have been stolen, dissolved and auctioned off. We trace what happened to them and the stories they can tell us
Nanotorus made from pure antimony paves way for other all-metal structures
Tubular structure contains 68 antimony atoms
Solar cells from algae
The HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen is researching the suitability of fossil algae as a raw material for solar cells in cooperation with the University of Oran in Algeria. These algae are
Packaging industry: Plasma-coated paper as a plastic substitute
Environmentally harmful plastic waste has increased continuously in Germany in recent years. Packaging generates a particularly large amount of waste. Coatings for paper packaging based on plant-based ingredients could provide a sustainable replacement in the