BIO-BASED PRODUCTS

BIC publishes guide to help investors in the bio-economy / Discussion of various grants and funds available in Europe

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

20% of revenues generated with products for low-carbon economy / Carbon Disclosure Project report

MANAGEMENT

Rising number of major insolvencies / Abundant cash reserves are risk driver / 25% of companies worldwide wait 88 days or more to get paid / Euler Hermes report

MANAGEMENT

More than 40% of western European supplier credits overdue / Credit-based sales particularly unpopular in Germany and Austria / Companies anticipate longer periods of payment / Atradius report

CREDIT RISKS

Post-crisis downward trend in insolvencies will end in 2016, credit insurer predicts / Much-dampened outlook for emerging markets / Euler Hermes report

MANAGEMENT

B2B default payment rates hinder European recovery / Atradius says Greece and Italy most affected

MANAGEMENT

More than one in three outstanding accounts in Europe are overdue / Risk of defaults on payments / Payment behaviour differs greatly among individual countries / Atradius payment barometer

PETROCHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS

PP futures trading goes live in Dubai and China / Concurrent launch designed to raise liquidity for global trading / “Transparent market and new pricing benchmark”

PETROCHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS

Dubai exchange to launch PP futures trading in February / Timing may reflect “Borouge 3” start

BASF

Business slows in Q2 / Meeting 2013 earnings targets now more challenging, CEO says

MANAGEMENT

Report reveals 30% of B2B receivables paid late in western Europe / Greece sees highest average default rate, followed by Italy / New Atradius study

MANAGEMENT

Payment practices in southern Europe suffer due to debt crisis / New study published by credit insurer Atradius

MANAGEMENT

Late payments continue without prior agreement / Foreign customers favoured for credit terms / Over 30% of clients have asked for credit increase / Atradius survey

MANAGEMENT

Payment default risks continue to worry European companies / Foreign and domestic customers' payment behaviour improves slightly / Latest Atradius survey

LME

Proposal to cease “open outcry” plastics trading / Move to electronic and telephone trading likely

FUTURES TRADING

Dubai to trade plastics futures from Q3 2007 / Separate contracts for two regions of Asia

LME

New regional futures contracts for polymers / Exchange hopes for increased liquidity

ENERGY

Europe´s converters concerned about costs / Programme to set consumption benchmarks

US INSOLVENCY LAW

Less comfort for firms in Chapter 11 / New laws limit time for exclusive reorganisation plan

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Project to promote cost saving in plastics / 27,000 firms to participate in EU “RECIPE”