Coronavirus impact may accelerate China’s self-sufficiency in chemicals, leaving the global industry struggling with overcapacity as that huge export market closes.

- Industry pulling out of depths of downturn

- But risk of second wave is high, infection rates rising globally

- China’s drive for chemicals self-sufficiency will increase

- China PX imports could fall from 16m tonnes to 9m tonnes in 2020

- China refineries likely to run hard, flooding markets with gasoline and other products

- Refinery/petrochemical interface under pressure

- Global economy was in trouble before Coronavirus

- Paradigm shifts accelerating – shift from fossil fuels, regional value chains, service-driven business models

- Europe isocyanate markets gradually improving from very low levels

- Demand from automotive still poor

- Chemicals face changing auto market on switch to electric, autonomous

Listen to this podcast interview with Paul Hodges, chairman at consultancy International eChem; John Richardson, ICIS senior consultant, Asia; ICIS Insight Editor Nigel Davis and Fergus Jensen who reports on Europe isocyanates.

Coronavirus impact may accelerate China’s self-sufficiency in chemicals, leaving the global industry struggling with overcapacity as that huge export market closes.

- Industry pulling out of depths of downturn

- But risk of second wave is high, infection rates rising globally

- China’s drive for chemicals self-sufficiency will increase

- China PX imports could fall from 16m tonnes to 9m tonnes in 2020

- China refineries likely to run hard, flooding markets with gasoline and other products

- Refinery/petrochemical interface under pressure

- Global economy was in trouble before Coronavirus

- Paradigm shifts accelerating – shift from fossil fuels, regional value chains, service-driven business models

- Europe isocyanate markets gradually improving from very low levels

- Demand from automotive still poor

- Chemicals face changing auto market on switch to electric, autonomous

Listen to this podcast interview with Paul Hodges, chairman at consultancy International eChem; John Richardson, ICIS senior consultant, Asia; ICIS Insight Editor Nigel Davis and Fergus Jensen who reports on Europe isocyanates.

European polypropylene (PP) editor Linda Naylor talks to ICIS Senior Consultant Fabrizio Galie about what we can expect in terms of PP supply and demand in Europe in 2020.

European polypropylene (PP) editor Linda Naylor talks to ICIS Senior Consultant Fabrizio Galie about what we can expect in terms of PP supply and demand in Europe in 2020.

The global ammonia market has remained relatively resilient during the coronavirus crisis. As a key building block for nitrogen fertilizers and important chemicals like caprolactam (capro) and acrylonitrile (ACN), ammonia is a vital commodity.

Ahead of the third quarter, ICIS’ international ammonia market editor, Richard Ewing, talks to Sylvia Traganida about how the pandemic has impacted the industry, and what might lie in store over the next few months.

The global ammonia market has remained relatively resilient during the coronavirus crisis. As a key building block for nitrogen fertilizers and important chemicals like caprolactam (capro) and acrylonitrile (ACN), ammonia is a vital commodity.

Ahead of the third quarter, ICIS’ international ammonia market editor, Richard Ewing, talks to Sylvia Traganida about how the pandemic has impacted the industry, and what might lie in store over the next few months.

European PE/PP editor, Linda Naylor, and Turkey and Africa editor Ben Lake, discuss the state of the plastics markets right now and what may come over Summer.

There are a lot of questions to pose and many variables to consider. We talk through the current thinking across the market and what could potentially be important drivers in the coming months.