Chemical News
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China's June coal output up 11% on year at 308.35 mil mt Jul 18,2017
China mined 308.35 million mt of crude coal in June, up 10.6% year on year, National Bureau of Statistics data released Monday showed. Over January-June, it mined 1,712.63 million mt of crude coal, up 5% year on year, the data showed. "After two consecutive months of weak coal production, June production surpassed 300 million mt as the govern...>>>
Americas: The week in petrochemicals, w/c July 17 Jul 18,2017
Spot propylene is expected to continue its decline as market participants await the startup of Dow Chemical's 750,000 mt/year propane dehydrogenation unit in Freeport, Texas. OLEFINS Despite maintenance work at two PDH units this quarter, spot polymer-grade propylene has shown some weakness, shedding 4 cents/lb since mid-June, according to ...>>>
Europe: The week in petrochemicals, w/c July 17 Jul 18,2017
Ethylene spot prices are likely to remain steady this week despite an uptick in market activity. Availability will remains good, barring an unplanned outage. OLEFINS Supply and demand are balanced -- typical for the time of year. Meanwhile, propylene is expected to remain bearish as European crackers are mostly running well and downstream mai...>>>
Asia: The week in petrochemicals, w/c July 17 Jul 18,2017
Market sentiment in the Asian ethylene market was seen to be positive last week, while methanol markets were weaker. AROMATICS Paraxylene markets were firmer last week on bullish purified terephthalic acid futures in China. The extended shutdown of major Chinese PTA producer Hengli Petrochemical's 2.2 million mt/year No. 1 PTA line at Dali...>>>
Increased offers could keep rhodium prices steady: Heraeus Jul 18,2017
Though rhodium has seen strong demand in recent weeks, more offers from scrap recyclers and dealers could keep prices steady, analysts with German precious metals refiner Heraeus said Monday. The Platts New York Dealer price range for rhodium held steady last week at $1,000-$1,040/oz, marking the third consecutive week of no or marginal price in...>>>
Sumangala executives in Missouri Tuesday to discuss possible steel plant Jul 18,2017
Top executives of India's Sumangala Steel plan to visit the New Madrid area of southeastern Missouri on Tuesday as they attempt to reach a final decision about where to locate a new steel plant, a local official said Monday. Richard McGill, New Madrid's city administrator, told S&P Global Platts in an interview that officials of the privately ow...>>>
South African NUM union to go to court to force Mining Charter through Jul 18,2017
South Africa's biggest mining union, the National Union of Mineworkers, said Monday it was going to court in an attempt to force the Department of Mineral Resources to implement the controversial new Mining Charter that calls for black ownership to be increased from 26% to 30% and maintained at all times. Mining minister Mosebenzi Zwane said in ...>>>
Iranian state holding's iron ore, steel output up on year Jul 18,2017
Mineral companies affiliated with Iranian state mines and metals holding company, Imidro, produced 9.49 million mt of iron ore concentrate in the first three months of the current Iranian year (to June 21), up 37.6% year on year, an informed source at the holding told S&P Global Platts Thursday. Some 7.79 million mt of iron ore pellet -- a 22.3%...>>>
Robust US ethanol prices starting to curtail exports: sources Jul 18,2017
Strong US ethanol prices have begun dissuading international buyers after a record start to the year, sources said Monday. "There's some tire kicking and some stuff getting done, but overall [it is] pretty quiet," said one source. US ethanol prices have been high compared with levels in the countries that have been doing a good deal of the bu...>>>
European Commission weekly sugar import licenses at 7,473 mt, down 85% on week Jul 18,2017
The European Commission issued 7,473 mt of sugar import licenses in the week ended July 7, down 85% from a 12-week high 49,678 mt awarded a week earlier and down 85.6% from 51,786 mt in the year-ago week, EC data showed Friday. The latest weekly total was the third-lowest weekly total in 2017, only higher than the 5,272 mt issued in the week end...>>>
Analysis: China steel mill spreads with iron ore, coal grow further Jul 19,2017
China's steel export product spreads with imported raw materials remain on an upward trajectory, as steel prices won sustained support from stronger-than-expected second quarter GDP growth and property markets. Spreads for HRC and rebar exports climbed in June, aided by weakening raw materials import prices, analysis from S&P Global Platts showe...>>>
Formosa Plastics says PE, PP force majeure from Point Comfort to run through July Jul 19,2017
Formosa Plastics' force majeure and sales control on its polyethylene and polypropylene from its Point Comfort, Texas, complex will last through the end of July, the company has told its customers. All polypropylene and polyethylene units have resumed production, the company said in a letter to customers sent late Monday and obtained by obtained...>>>
Japan's May ethylene, derivatives exports fall 3% on month Jul 19,2017
Japan's export of ethylene and ethylene derivatives in May fell 3% from a month earlier to 200,400 ethylene equivalent tonne, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said on Monday. However, the May exports rose 13% year on year. Meanwhile, Japan's import of ethylene and ethylene derivatives jumped up 61.6% month on month and 57.4% year o...>>>
Monoethylene glycol demand firms as antifreeze, polyethylene terephthalate demand pick up Jul 19,2017
European demand for monoethylene glycol has risen as both polyethylene terephthalate and antifreeze producers have raised availability inquiries and procurements, according to sources. Supporting the increase in domestic demand has been rising Asian MEG prices that have made importing hard. "MEG prices have picked up. PET and antifreeze [dema...>>>
June North American aluminum service shipments up 10.3% year on year: MSCI Jul 19,2017
US service centers shipped 147,400 st of aluminum products in June, up 10.3% year on year, Metals Service Center Institute data showed Tuesday. Inventories of aluminum products at the end of June stood at 391,900 st, up 0.2% from the same period a year ago, representing 2.7 months of aluminum inventory at the current shipping rate, MSCI said. ...>>>
Mexico's Ahmsa restarts iron ore mine in Durango state Jul 19,2017
Mexican integrated steelmaker Altos Hornos de Mexico (Ahmsa) has restarted operations at its Cerro de Mercado iron ore mine, even after it earlier announced plans to shut down the unit amid labor dispute, the company said Tuesday. The asset belongs to mining company Minera del Norte, which is a subsidiary of Ahmsa, and is located in the northwes...>>>
Chile's copper smelters see output drop in May: commission data Jul 19,2017
Chile's seven copper smelters produced 96,600 mt of copper in May, down 20.9% from the same month of 2016, according to data from the Chilean Copper Commission. Production of electrolytic cathode, produced by refining anodes produced by the smelters, slipped 4.9% in May to 71,700 mt. Copper output during the first five months of the year was ...>>>
India's IOC to build first off-gas-to-bioethanol plant at Panipat refinery Jul 19,2017
State-owned Indian Oil Corp plans to build the world's first refinery off-gas-to-bioethanol plant at its Panipat refinery in the third quarter of fiscal 2018-2019, running from April to March, IOC said in an emailed reply late Monday. The plant was expected to be complete by the third quarter of fiscal 2019-2020, IOC added. IOC and LanzaTech,...>>>
Turkish thermal coal prices dip on higher availability, thin demand Jul 19,2017
Turkish thermal coal spot prices pulled back last week on increased availability, bucking the trend seen across the wider European market as sources affirmed there was negligible buying interest at current levels. S&P Global Platts assessed the weekly CIF Turkey 6,000 kcal/kg NAR 90-day price at $85/mt Friday, $1 lower on the week. "It's a ve...>>>
Rio Tinto's Apr-Jun thermal coal output surges 15% on year to 4.95 mil mt Jul 19,2017
Diversified mining giant Rio Tinto's thermal coal production stood at 4.95 million mt in the April-June quarter, up 15% year on year and 17% from the January-March quarter, it said Tuesday while announcing its quarterly results. It attributed the rise to mine sequencing at its Hunter Valley Operations in New South Wales and Queensland-based Hail...>>>