Asia top stories – weekly summary

SINGAPORE (ICIS)–Here are some of the top stories from ICIS Asia and the Middle East for the week ended 14 September 2018.

China domestic TDI prices slump; outlook grim on weak demand
Domestic toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) prices in China plummeted this week as sellers slashed offers, at a time when downstream demand has been protractedly slow.

China domestic PE may weaken amid ample supply, uncertain demand
China’s domestic polyethylene (PE) prices may weaken in the near term because of ample supply and demand uncertainties amid the country’s trade war with the US.

China acrylic fibre output to stay capped on soaring ACN costs
China’s acrylic fibre (AF) output may continue to be capped in September as production margins are being eroded by high cost of feedstock acrylonitrile (ACN).

Malaysia’s palm oil production expected to rise in September
Asia’s oleochemical sector participants expect production of crude alm oil (CPO) and crude palm kernel oil (CPKO) in Malaysia will peak in September after August recorded less than expected growth.

Asia ABS falls amid supply overhang, trend likely to continue
Asia acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) prices fell again this week as the supply overhang in the region continued to exert downward pressure, a situation likely to continue in the near future.

SE Asia homopolymer PP market stable amid seasonal demand lull
Southeast Asia’s homopolymer polypropylene (PP) market is largely stable amid a seasonal lull in demand, with a narrowed spread between dutiable and non-dutiable prices.

Asia benzene slumps as China inventories rebound
Asia’s benzene market has been weakening as inventories in the key China market snapped two months of declines.

China NBA antidumping measure to hit Formosa Ningbo butyl-A output
China’s antidumping measure on n-butanol (NBA) imports will hit the downstream butyl acrylate (butyl-A) production of Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) in the country, as it will translate to a hefty increase in cost of feedstock from Taiwan.

Asia MMA markets slip from record highs after 12 weeks of stability
Asia’s methyl methacrylate (MMA) spot prices have slipped from record highs following twelve weeks of price stability, snapping the uptrend observed over the past two years.

China’s gasoline and gasoil prices firming up in September
China’s gasoline and gasoil prices rose in the week ended 7 September due to higher retail ceiling prices and some regions switching to a new national standard policy, a trend that may continue in the near future.

China Sept acetic acid prices to fluctuate in a narrow range
China’s domestic acetic acid prices will fluctuate in a narrow range in September on relatively balanced supply-demand fundamentals that will likely put an end to wild swings in the past few months.

NE Asia propylene falls amid uncertainties ahead of China holidays
Spot propylene prices in northeast Asia have been on a sustained decline on weak demand from the key China market amid a slight loosening in domestic supply.

GCC PMDI likely to stay under pressure, following soft China prices
Spot import prices of polymeric methyl di-p-phenylene isocyanate (PMDI) in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are likely to extend declines as they follow a soft trend in China’s import values.