Europe top stories: weekly summary

LONDON (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Europe for the week ended 29 November.

Europe methanol supply shortages worsen for December, prices at 2022 highs
Europe’s methanol market is expected to tighten further as production outages in US and Europe apply pressure on supply.

India’s Adani Group access to foreign capital at risk amid US bribery charges
India’s Adani Group may run into difficulty accessing external funding and may see an increase in its capital costs as global rating agencies have downgraded the outlook for several of the group’s companies, citing escalating legal and governance risks.

Soda ash annual contract talks progress as players prepare for another challenging year
Soda ash demand in November is overall stable in Europe, but the lack of any pick-up has prompted some furnace closures at glass manufacturers, although some plants that were shut last year may restart next year.

Deloitte expects more chem M&A as industry remains in flux
The chemical industry is entering the new year amid an especially large amount of flux, with China receding as a demand driver, Europe contending with plant shutdowns and producers rearranging businesses through mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Europe PE/PP spot prices stable to soft as year ends with a limp
Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) spot prices were stable to lower in the week to 22 November, with limited business done.