ICIS - chemical podcasts

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- India’s PVC demand is expected to strengthen in the short term, driven by agricultural sector demand and restocking, but ample supply and policy uncertainties may weigh on market sentiment. Weak demand, high inventories pressure prices to multi-year lows ADD final findings delayed; uncertainty around implementation persists Oversupply concerns rise with new capacities, trade barriers in focus In this chemical podcast, ICIS market specialist Aswin Kondapally discusses recent market conditions, along with the near-term outlook.

Fresh from the European Coatings Show 2025 in Nuremberg, Germany, ICIS looks over the key talking points and challenges facing the key sectors.The main challenges are the ongoing sluggish demand, coupled with the wider geopolitical volatility and economic headwinds.Attending ECS '25 for ICIS and speaking on this podcast are: Mathew Jolin-Beech on acrylic acid (AA), acrylate esters, and methyl methacrylate (MMA) Jane Gibson on phenol, acetone, and refinery solvents Nick Cleeve on isopropanol (IPA), Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM), Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK), Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) Heidi Finch on TIO2 and epoxy resins

The new European Commission talks the talk on rescuing chemicals but has not yet turned words into action as deindustrialisation gathers pace.- Change of tone from new Commission- New strategic dialogue with chemicals on competitiveness- Well intentioned, but not enough detail on action plan- Conflict between competitiveness and Green Deal objectives - Watering down or delaying existing legislation moves the goalposts, adds legal uncertainty- US has a patchwork of state-level and federal regulation- EU-US regulatory alignment is moving towards divergenceThis podcast was recorded on 26 March. ICIS journalist Will Beacham interviews Thomas Delille and Peter Sellar of UK-US based law firm Squire Patton Boggs.

European propylene oxide (PO) and styrene monomer (SM) will remain oversupplied following the closure of LyondellBasell and Covestro’s flagship complex in the Netherlands, but the erosion of local capacity is leaving markets increasingly fragile. In this podcast, ICIS Insight editor Tom Brown speaks to Nicole Simpson, ICIS markets editor for PO, and Fergus Jensen, senior editor for styrene, about the likely fallout from the planned shutdown. Europe PO market chronically oversupplied, operating rates remain low Further shutdowns needed for PO market to come back into balance LyondellBasell may be able to meet demand from Europe, US plants Styrene market also looks to more shutdowns, but closure further reduces Europe capacity Domestic market increasingly dependent on imports, making the market increasingly fragile Shipping delays and plant outages having a more dramatic impact Still over 700,000 tonnes excess capacity in Europe PO market PO remains difficult to transport, infrastructure limited to allow imports to Europe Players starting to invest in import facilities, but remain in early stages POSM capacity continues to exceed demand, but PO a more of a driver than styrene Three other POSM units remain in Europe

In episode 2 of our new Sustainably Speaking podcast, ICIS' Senior Executive, Business Solutions Group John Richardson is joined by Mark Victory, Senior Editor for Recycling, Europe, and Helen McGeough, Global Analyst Team Lead for Plastic Recycling at ICIS to talk about the importance of investment in Europe's recycling industry. Topics covered in this episode include: Need for improvement in collection and sorting capacity Importance of high quality waste to allow chemical recycling scale up Investment needed to address Europe's structural shortages of recycled material Imbalance between EU Member States for infrastructure investment The financial and economic cost of not investing in, and dealing with EU waste

The Plastics Recycling Conference is underway in National Harbor, MD, and Senior Market Editor Emily Friedman and Senior Analyst Corbin Olson break down the key topics among discussions and presentations at the show: US recycling capacity for select polymers for food-contact applications remains under 10% Sustainability-driven grades continue to see 30-200%+ premiums on PCR Tariffs, legislative changes amid top factors influencing market outlooks

The chemicals sector M&A market could see the start of a revival this year, with private equity firms and other strategic investors keen to put war chests of capital to work in a muted growth environment, but political and economic factors remain a concern.In this podcast, ICIS insight editor Tom Brown speaks to Federico Mennella, managing director for industrials at investment bank DC Advisory, about the economic outlook and shifting trends in global chemicals dealflow. Rebound still expected but timing has been pushed back towards the end of the year on trade uncertainty, energy pricing and economic stability Strategic investors have war chests of cash and are looking to M&A in difficult organic growth environment Interest strong for North America chemical sector opportunities due to competitive energy pricing Questions over whether a financial investor could do something with Europe assets that the current owner cannot Private equity continues to drive M&A Increasing trend for bids for assets not in play More flexibility in transactions, with investors taking certain assets out of a wider package Global M&A activity has remained below pre-pandemic levels in size and volume Slight rebound occurring, multiples slightly lower Financing costs remain elevated compared to pre-COVID era Disconnect between buyers and sellers on valuations narrowing

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- Asia propylene (C3) editor Julia Tan speaks with Asia ethylene (C2) editor Josh Quah about the impact of recent tariff wars on downstream market sentiment, along with the markets' outlook for the second quarter. NE Asia C2 to see demand support from new PVC start-ups in China NE Asia C3 length to weigh on markets; import demand weak amid ample domestic supply New capacity start-ups in China to lengthen supply in olefins markets in Q2

SINGAPORE (ICIS)-- Asia and Mideast isocyanates prices climbed rapidly immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday, followed by sharp corrections in mid to end-February. Ample supply has weighed on overall sentiment, and limited recovery in demand is expected for the rest of March. Asia MDI, TDI prices fall after Lunar New Year holiday Ample Asian supply to keep buyers in China, SE Asia cautious Post-Ramadan recovery in Middle East to be capped by sufficient availability In this podcast, ICIS markets editor Shannen Ng and markets reporter Isaac Tan discuss market conditions and expectations for the near future.

Moves by Germany and across Europe to boost defence spending could give a significant uplift to the region’s beleaguered chemical industry.- Need to maintain robust national or regional supply chains may benefit chemical industry in Europe, which is threatened with closures- German defence/infrastructure spending boost could be 2% of GDP, larger than increase linked to German reunification, post-war Marshall Plan- Rising defence spending in Europe would help boost electricity demand significantly, estimates vary from 7%-30%- Data-driven technology for defence would also raise electricity demand- Will raise demand for gas and renewable-based power- Europe will need to become more self-sufficient in energy, driven by renewables

LONDON (ICIS)--The Europe oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have seen ongoing subdued market conditions in march, and also face the pressure of rising feedstock and production costs.Acrylate esters editor Mathew Jolin-Beech speaks with glycol ethers editor Cameron Birch and oxo-alcohols and butyl acetate editor Marion Boakye about conditions in these markets and expectations for the near future.

Fresh US tariffs posing a big risk for PE, a chemical industry under threat of “extinction”, more Q4 results to pore over from EU polyolefins – there’s yet again plenty to digest for Europe polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) senior editors.Vicky Ellis and Ben Lake are joined by senior analysts Lorenzo Meazza (PE) and Emiliano Basualto (PP) to consider February trends, what to expect in March and the rest of 2025.Last but not least, they look at different scenarios that US tariffs will affect PE and PP.They touch on articles including US PE exports most vulnerable to retaliatory tariffs, Saudi plans for a new Sipchem/LyondellBasell mixed feed cracker and Orlen’s Q4 petchem operating loss improving.

HOUSTON (ICIS)—US polyethylene terephthalate markets reporter Melissa Wheeler interviews Vice President of the North America PET/Polyester Chain, Antulio Borneo.PET market factors discussed include: Tariffs on Mexico and Canada imports and the impacts to the US PET market Supply and demand balance going into the peak summer season China’s antimony bans on exports to the US and the impact that will have on PET production

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--The northeast Asian propylene import markets have been weighed down by lengthening supply amid restarts at propane dehydrogenation (PDH) units. However, lower affordability levels from derivatives such as propylene oxide (PO) have also curbed import demand. NE Asia propylene prices cool on weaker demand amid lower affordability levels Oversupply a central issue in northeast Asia for PO makers Tight SE Asia propylene supply likely to continue amid shutdowns In this latest podcast, ICIS senior editor Julia Tan speaks with markets editor Shannen Ng to discuss market conditions and expectations for the near future.

BARCELONA (ICIS)--The European Commission’s Clean Industrial Deal may not be radical enough to reverse the decline of Europe’s petrochemical industry. Member states urged to lower energy bills by cutting taxes to legal minimums Improve infrastructure and connections to ease flow of renewable electricity €100 billion to support EU-made clean manufacturing, but questions over how chemicals can access the money Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for energy-intensive industries to partner with renewable energy providers More measures against unfair foreign competition Measures to boost circular economy and recycling But nothing game-changing or radical enough In this Think Tank podcast, Will Beacham interviews ICIS senior energy reporter Gretchen Ransow, ICIS chief news correspondent for Europe, Tom Brown and Nigel Davis from the ICIS market development team.

LONDON (ICIS)--Recent escalations in the US-China tariff war are set to create waves in the Asian and European import markets for methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI).Isocyanates Europe editor Zubair Adam and Asia editor Shannen Ng show case the key developments.

LONDON (ICIS)--The European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have seen a mix of stable to firm pricing coming into February. Focus is shifting towards what demand trends may look like into the spring months and on current supply disruptions in the market.Glycol ethers report editor Cameron Birch speaks to oxo-alcohols editor and butyl acetate editor Marion Boakye, acrylate esters editor Mat Jolin-Beech about the current conditions in these markets and expectations for the near future.

Europe’s petrochemical sector will need to see bold moves in the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal to help reverse its decline.- May be a conflict between aim of making Europe more competitive and environmental goals- Europe is in the “last chance saloon” to halt deindustrialisation- Europe industry burdened by high cost of energy, CO2- Improved connectivity for renewable power will be essential for chemicals- Reform of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) welcome if it really protects local manufacturing - Huge investment needed to make a low carbon future a reality- ICIS forecasts depressed operating rates for global ethylene, propylene to 2035- EU should focus on increasing tariff barriers, defence spending- Clean Industrial Deal should be welcomed as a direct response to Antwerp Declaration - Deal will be published on Wednesday 26 February

In this podcast, market editors Zubair Adam (MX) and Miguel Rodriguez Fernandez (PX) discuss the challenges for future demand.

John Richardson, Market Development Director, hosts this new series of ICIS podcasts focusing on the subject of sustainability, and more specifically, recycling. In this first episode, John speaks to Helen McGeough, Global Plastics Recycling Analytics Team Lead, and Matt Tudball, Senior Editor for Recycling, Europe about how EU regulation is impacting the European recycling market now and in the future, and why European regulation will have a much more global impact.Topics include: Breaking down European legislation (Single Use Plastics, Packaging & Packaging Waste, End of Life Vehicles) Impact on collection, sorting and quality of plastic waste in Europe and beyond Europe's competitiveness in the recycling space and how the economics compare How regulation may be a barrier for imports into the EU What's the future of plastics if the regulation does not work?

LONDON (ICIS)--Halfway through Q1 - and it is no surprise that there are still a host of challenges facing the phenol, acetone and derivatives chain. These include high energy costs, ongoing poor demand and the uncertainty around future trade flows given fresh Asia capacity and any tariffs – and reciprocal tariffs - from the new Trump administration.Europe ICIS editors Jane Gibson (acetone and phenol), Heidi Finch (bisphenol A and epoxy resins), Meeta Ramnani (polycarbonate), Mathew Jolin-Beech (methyl methacrylate) and ICIS senior analyst Michele Bossi (aromatics and derivatives) discuss current market conditions, in particular demand challenges, in view of residual macro and geopolitical headwinds, so far in 2025. European PC under a lot of pressure by low demand and Asian imports as all suppliers try to get a piece of the small cake Epoxy, BPA demand subdued, but EU ADDs for epoxy to bring some opportunities Low demand thwarts phenol market, with acetone yet to offer any real margin support Europe MMA facing growing pressures from rising production costs and stubbornly weak demand Podcast editing by Mathew Jolin-Beech

The Global Impact Coalition (GIC) aims to bring chemical companies and value chain partners together to solve challenges on the road to net zero carbon. - Collective effort will bring down the cost of sustainable solutions- GIC is spin off from the World Economic Forum - Major chemical company members include BASF, SABIC, Clariant, Covestro, LyondellBasell, Mitsubishi, Syensqo, LG Chem- Automotive plastics recycling is a key focus- Fully decarbonised car would only add $900 to final price- On average decarbonising only adds 2-4% to final price of most goods- However decarbonization costs rise steeply up the value chain- GIC aims to grow geographically and along industrial value chainsICIS journalist Will Beacham interviews Charlie Tan, CEO of the GIC and Lars Kissau, president of BASF’s Net Zero Accelerator.

Recycled Plastics senior analyst Andrea Bassetti and US Recycled Plastics senior editor Emily Friedman discuss the main takeaways from the latest round of corporate quarterly earnings calls, as they relate to the US recycled plastics industry.

Senior Editor for Recycling Matt Tudball asks Carolina Perujo Holland, Senior Analysts for Plastics Recycling, and Travis Klein, Senior Analyst for PET how the European markets compare to other regions in terms of competitiveness, impacts of regulation and feedstock costs, and what they'll be covering in their presentation at the ICIS PET Value Chain Conference. The ICIS PET Value Chain Conference runs from 6-7 March in Amsterdam. Click here to register and see the full agenda.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) --The Trump administration swiftly withdrew financial support for its hydrogen sector, while China is accelerating hydrogen expansion with strong policy backing. In this podcast, ICIS hydrogen analysts Patricia Tao and Anita Yang discuss how these developments could gradually shift the global hydrogen market’s center of gravity over the next three to five years.

Europe’s petrochemical sector is in the midst of a crisis which EU leaders can solve through bold actions, according to Ilham Kadri, president of Cefic and CEO of Syensqo. - More than 11 million tonnes of European chemicals capacity slated to close- Decline can be reversed with strong EU political action - Simplify bureaucracy, lower energy costs, finance low carbon transition- EU needs to stimulate demand for low carbon products, create level playing field against global competition - Time to turn words into action through EU Clean Industrial Deal, new chemicals strategy- Chemicals CEOs in Europe need to examine their portfolios to identify where they can win against global competitors- Europe has a lot to offer – cutting edge technology, talent- Region needs a strong economy and that is only possible with strong chemical industry

What with tough financial results from some producers, the threat of tariffs and upstream price wobbles, 2025 already has a lot to discuss for Europe polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) senior editors. Vicky Ellis and Ben Lake look back on January trends and what's being tussled over for February in contract talks.They touch on LyondellBasell's Q4 results, Dow CEO Jim Fitterling's downbeat view on demand, early February market trends and ICIS' article about the SE Asia PE plant shutdowns deemed necessary for rebalancing.Podcast edited by Will Beacham

LONDON (ICIS)--Relatively stable demand expectations is anticipated to be met with evolving global supply dynamics within the European acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) and acrylonitrile (ACN) markets in 2025.In this latest podcast, Europe ABS report editor Stephanie Wix and her counterpart on the Europe ACN report, Nazif Nazmul, share the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead. Geopolitics-led macroeconomic challenges dampen prospects of demand resurgence Balanced-to-long supply dynamics anticipated to endure Players assess impact of EU ADD investigation on ABS imports from South Korea, Taiwan ABS is the largest-volume engineering thermoplastic resin and is used in automobiles, electronics and recreational products.ACN is used in the production of synthetic fibres for clothing and home furnishings, engineering plastics and elastomers.

Senior Editor, Recycling, Matt Tudball talks to Helen McGeough, Global Recycling Analytics Team Lead about some of the key topics that will be discussed at the upcoming ICIS PET Value Chain Conference on 6-7 March in Amsterdam. Topics include: Improving the supply chain for recycled PET Getting access to good-quality feedstocks Deposit Return Schemes (DRS) growing in Europe Impact of high feedstocks on R-PET prices Spreads between virgin PET and R-PET

As US president Donald Trump revives his trade war, business leaders may seek certainty by switching to local and regional supply chains.- Businesses need stability, certainty to make investment decisions- Trade war could drive more national/regional industrial and chemical supply chains - But reshoring can be very expensive and time-consuming- New technologies such as 3-D printing and AI support local production- Export-dependent US chemicals have a lot to lose from a trade war - US exported more than 10 million tonnes of polyethylene (PE) to Europe in 2023

In a changing financial and political landscape, the global base oils market is wavering between new capacity from the east and closely watching the US for new developments. 2025 looks set to pose new questions for investors and market can see changes at the touch of a key stroke. A widening spread between approved and unapproved Group III material A wave of new capacity, with plants particularly in Singapore and India adding competition to Group I A tight supply of Brightstock and shifting spread between domestic and export volumes The US dollar rally making Euro purchases more costly Potential for US tariffs on Canada and Mexico and possible impact on crude flows ICIS experts Samantha Wright, Mike Conolly and Sophie Udubasceanu discuss the top five drivers to watch in 2025.Base oils are used to produce finished lubes and greases for automobiles and other machinery.

Women are under-represented in the chemical industry and companies are missing the benefits diversity bring to leadership teams. - It could take 50 years for women to achieve gender equality - Women under 30 have closed the gender pay gap- But inequality increases at more senior levels- Burn out is a major problem for female executives- Companies with diverse workforces out-perform - Women deterred from choosing roles which are male-dominated- Chemical industry only has 30% female workforce globally - More flexible working arrangements very important - Women in Chemicals aims to help females achieve their ambitions

LONDON (ICIS)--European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have been slow to start up in the new year as familiar factors suppress consumption.Players were hoping for reasonable restocking activity this month, following the destocking period that took place in late Q4 2024, but spot activity has been below expectations for many players down the value chain.Oxo-alcohols & butyl acetate reporter Marion Boakye speaks to acrylate esters reporter Mathew Jolin-Beech and glycol ethers reporter Cameron Birch about conditions down the oxo-alcohols value chain.

Detailed modelling by Europe’s principal chemicals trade association analyses different potential routes and technologies as the industry moves towards its aim of carbon neutrality by 2050. - Report aims to guide chemicals to 2050 EU Green Deal goal of climate neutrality- Takes into account Scope 1, 2, 3, embedded carbon and end of life emissions- Modelling covers many types of technologies - Industry will compete with other sectors for access to scarce resources- Report models the huge level of investment required Click here to download Cefic’s report “The Carbon Managers: Modelling Possible Pathways for the EU Chemical Sector’s Transition Towards Climate Neutrality and Circularity with iC2050.”ICIS interviews Florie Gonsolin, director industrial transformation projects at Cefic.

Asia BDO editor Corey Chew and European BDO editor Yashas Mudumbai discuss the long supply and low demand conditions across the two regions, and whether regular trade flow will resume after the Lunar New Year holidays.

SINGAPORE (ICIS) – Asian spot market for butadiene (BD) saw a bullish start to 2025, as prices in both Chinese yuan and US dollar terms surged dramatically.In this latest podcast, ICIS senior editor Ai Teng Lim and industry analyst Elaine Zhang come together to discuss the factors moving prices and to take a peek into what may lie ahead for downstream demand. Domestic China prices surge on supply factors, raising imports too Uncertainties prevalent on whether downstream demand will hold out Supply outlook uneven between China and wider Asia

At the end of 2024, the European bioplastics industry met to discuss innovations, barriers to growth and the future outlook for production capacity, demand and changes in legislation. ICIS Recycling Analyst Alexandra Tomczyk attended the conference and updates us on the current state of play for the bioplastics market. Some of the key takeaways included: Global capacities are set to grow rapidly in the next 5 years It’s unclear how the rise of bioplastic packaging will impact the goals set in Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations Bioplastics are only one of a range of tools needed to improve the sustainability of plastics

A ceasefire in the Gaza conflict could potentially end attacks in the Red Sea, reopening the Suez Canal and normalising the Asia-to-Europe container shipping route. - Gaza ceasefire could stop Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping- Route via Cape of Good Hope takes 10 days longer than Suez Canal- Reopening Suez would add 10 days of chemicals inventory to the market- Europe would be open to more Asia exports- Freight rates could fall as container capacity is freed up - ‘Stunning’ levels of overcapacity expected in China in 2025- New Cefic report highlights need for new Europe industrial deal for chemicals

Chemicals leaders must plan for a year in which powerful trends will alter the markets they serve, promising another period of rapid change across the industry landscape. - Global overcapacity will get worse this year, ICIS Supply & Demand data shows- Depressed demand set to continue- Donald Trump tariffs may change trade flows, fuel inflation- China economy will continue to struggle- Disinformation will make it difficult to navigate trends- Look for pockets of growth from low carbon agenda

SINGAPORE (ICIS) -- Asia ethylene editor Josh Quah and analyst Aliena Huang talk about the Asia outlook for ethylene arbitrage cargoes for 2025 with markets editor Damini Dabholkar. Ethylene loadings from US in December continue to favour southeast Asia destinations More intra-Asia tradeflows between northeast and southeast Asia expected for H1 2025 Increasing ethane competitivity and demand may curtail US ethylene exports to Asia

LONDON (ICIS)--The European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have been subdued in December with a focus on managing inventory targets into year-end with destocking already underway.The winter demand has also been sluggish amid wider challenging economic and geopolitical pressures.Heading into 2025, the outlook is one for the challenges of 2024 to largely persist, with demand not expected to dramatically improve.Acryalte ester report editor Mathew Jolin-Beech is joined by glycol ethers report editor Cameron Birch, oxo-alcohols editor Nicole Simpson, and butyl acetate editor Marion Boakye to discuss the current market conditions and to look forward into 2025.

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia's oxo-alcohols market continues to face challenges amid capacity expansions in China. Weak demand from downstream plasticisers sector Upstream support from propylene unlikely Demand recovery to take some time In this latest podcast, ICIS senior editor Julia Tan speaks with ICIS analyst Lina Xu to share the latest developments and expectations for what lies ahead next year.

BARCELONA (ICIS)—European polyethylene (PE) markets face growing pressure from cheaper imports, highlighting the impact of rising overcapacity driven by China and the US. - Plants in Europe operating at technical minimum levels- Minimal stocks held amid plentiful supply- Demand poor across most end uses, packaging stronger- Europe will see more PE imports as global overcapacity grows- More polymer plant closures are likely in Europe and other high-cost regions- US has more to lose from trade war as it is a major exporter of PE to China- Trade flows could change dramatically if tariff walls go up- Supply/demand imbalance may take up to nine years to correct

Plastics and chemical producers need to find more effective ways to tackle the problem of plastic waste after UN treaty negotiations ended without agreement at the weekend. - Consumer demand will drive improvements in plastic waste management- Chemical companies need to reconnect with brands/consumers- We will move out of the current ‘trough of despair’ about recycling - End of globalization may mean national/regional treaties are more effective- UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee concluded in Busan, South Korea, on 1 December, with no definitive agreement- Around 100 countries backed proposals, with a small number of hold-outs

LONDON (ICIS)--European monoethylene glycol (MEG) editor, Melissa Hurley, explores the global glycol situation with Judith Wang, Cindy Qiu, Melissa Wheeler. China inventory levels could remain limited near term; domestic supply increases on plant restart Bearish demand outlook to weigh on Asia market Asia, Europe annual contract discussions tough Heavy Q1 US turnaround could limit imports into Asia/Europe and bolster discussions

MUSCAT (ICIS)--In this special edition of the ICIS podcast, Asia deputy news editor Nurluqman Suratman speaks with ICIS market development executive John Richardson on the sidelines of the 18th Annual Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals (GPCA) Annual Forum in Muscat, Oman, on the current issues facing the regional industry. Ongoing issues over a UN plastics treaty highlights divide between major producers and smaller players Upcoming US tariffs may change trade flows, dynamics for Middle East Global oversupply remains in focus as China's demand growth slows

LONDON (ICIS)--The European oxo-alcohols and derivatives markets have seen subdued performance into November with availability now healthy across markets and underlying demand still underperforming.Focus is now on managing inventory targets into year end with destocking already underway. The autumn in general has been slower than many had hoped.Glycol Ethers report editor Cameron Birch speaks to Oxo-Alcohols editor Nicole Simpson, Acrylate Esters editor Mat Jolin-Beech and Butyl Acetate editor Marion Boakye about the current conditions in these markets and expectations for the near future.

The plasticizers market is globalized with Europe dependant on imports of dioctyl terephthalate (DOTP) from northeast Asia, Turkey and the US. However, global trade flows are shifting as US DOTP dumping investigations are progressing into the final stages and Trump’s election is bolstering US trade protectionism Europe plasticizers editor Nicole Simpson speaks to US editor Daniel Lopes about the future of the plasticizers market against a backdrop of falling US feedstock costs, growing US protectionism and economic challenges.

Two liquids-to-chemicals project announcements by Saudi Aramco highlight a new source of rapid capacity growth which will add to global overcapacity.- Middle East oil and gas companies want to push liquids-to-chemicals as demand for transport fuels declines- Aramco aims to convert around 4 million bbl/day of crude oil into chemicals by 2030 versus about 1 million barrels/day currently- Demand growth will not be sufficient to meet rising supply - More closures will be needed to balance the market

LONDON (ICIS)--November’s polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) prices have eased in the face of dispiriting demand and as maintenance season comes to a close in Europe.ICIS senior editors Vicky Ellis and Ben Lake weigh up what's behind the November trends, how forex and logistics might be affecting the markets, and what’s coming for December.They also discuss ICIS coverage of European PE, PP players adapting value propositions in the face of an evolving market, and Think Tank’s podcast episode: Trump trade war will drive end of globalisation for chemicals.Editing by Will Beacham