While most chemical industry companies and business leaders were anticipating improvements by 2H23, it has proved to be a challenging quarter for most companies, leading into a challenging year. In this episode of The Chemical Show, host Victoria Meyer explores why many companies are lowering full-year earnings outlooks and what’s driving current market conditions. 

Learn more about the following in this episode:

• Insights from 2Q23 chemical industry earnings reports
• Worst period of chemical inventory destocking since 2008-9
• Effect of sluggish economies in Europe and China
• Inflationary effects - slowing demand for consumer goods
• Strategies companies are using to respond to challenging market conditions

Join Victoria as she digs into the second quarter 2023 earnings reports, analyzing the challenges faced by chemical companies and searching for valuable insights. Victoria shares indicators for improvement on the horizon, the possibilities of a period of flat demand before a significant increase, as well as the expected inventory restocking.

Please subscribe to The Chemical Show on your favorite podcast player. And, visit www.thechemicalshow.com to subscribe to our email list and get additional insights.

Additional links:

2Q23 Earnings Reports:

Huntsman 

Stepan

Eastman

Shell

BASF

Lanxess

Chemours

Phillips 66

ExxonMobil

Sponsored by:
World Petrochemical Conference by S&P Global on March 23-27, 2026.
Use the code ChemShowWPC26 at wpc.spglobal.com