PETROCHEMICAL MARKETS

Ineos declares force majeure for PVC from France

POLYMER PRICES

North America March: Prices trend mostly sideways / Weak basis, falling feedstock prices and “enormous uncertainty due to tariffs” / Further reductions likely in April

INEOS

Sale of composites division to KPS completed

EUROPEAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

Eight EU countries call on commission to develop Critical Chemicals Act

POLYMER PRICES

North America February: Unrest on US polymer market due to Trump's threat of import tariffs / Prices vary but predominantly stable

EU POLICY

Clean Industrial Deal unveiled in Brussels / 400 business leaders send urgent call to heads of state / Cefic praises ‘bold action' / Ineos's Ratcliffe prefers US approach

EUROPEAN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

Hard choices needed to survive challenges on several fronts / M&A to play critical role in region's restructuring – FTI report

POLYMER PRICES

North America December: Stable to slightly falling prices in combination with sluggish demand and adequate supply / Feedstock quotations firmer recently / Price rises in January unlikely

INEOS

Closure of ethanol plant in Grangemouth / Loss of 80 jobs in UK

INEOS

New oil and gas investment in the US / Fossil resurgence under new Trump term?

INEOS STYROLUTION

India's Styrenix Performance Materials acquires ABS plant in Thailand

POLYMER PRICES

North America November: Rollovers, reductions on weak market fundamentals / Weakness set to continue into new year / Trump's customs duties big unknown factor

PVC

UK hits imports of US-made S-PVC with swingeing tariffs / Inovyn alleged stateside producers of dumping material

INEOS

UK plastics group to sell composites unit to private equity company KPS for EUR 1.7 bn

EUROPEAN PLASTICS INDUSTRY

Cheap polymer imports threaten circular economy ambitions / Share of global plastics production continues to slide – Plastics Europe report

PVC

UK government proposes tariffs on US-made S-PVC / British shops voice fears over impact

POLYMER PRICES

North America October: Weak market conditions dominate picture in all segments / Reductions, rollovers everywhere / Softer cost side / November expected to be lower

INEOS

Further production site closures in North America

INEOS

Belgian environmentalists put pressure on PTA plant in Geel / CEO Jim Ratcliffe criticises anti-business sentiment

POLYMER PRICES

North America September: Prices roll over or fall back / Weak demand continues / Production outages have no effect on quotes / Lower feedstock prices and surplus trend support decreases

VIONEO

Subsidiary of Danish A.P. Møller plans polyolefin production in Antwerp / Methanol as feedstock material

BUTADIENE

NEW at PIE: Spot and contract price reports for the precursor / Supply situation in Europe remains tight; prices likely to remain high / Numerous expansions planned in Asia

PETROINEOS

Grangemouth refinery to shut in Q2 2025 / Massive losses / Other petchem operations on-site unaffected

EVONIK

Sale of superabsorbents to ICIG completed / Third and final divestment round ahead

POLYMER PRICES

North America August: Most prices roll over or fall / Only polyolefins rise because of increasing feedstock prices / FMs, outages due to weak demand have no effect on prices / No trend turnaround likely