Limited availability of feedstock propylene, strong downstream demand and force majeures from BASF and Sasol have resulted in tight supply and sustained pressure on prices across the oxo-alcohols markets

Rising costs and short feedstock supply have passed pressure down to n-butanol (NBA) derivative markets, with prices for multiple products reaching the highest levels since ICIS records began.

Butyl acetate (butac) editor and oxo-alcohols covering editor Nick Cleeve discusses the impact of these constraints with acrylate esters editor Mathew Jolin-Beech and glycol ethers editor Eashani Chavda

SINGAPORE (ICIS)-- Global Bisphenol-A (BPA) markets are facing a supply crunch, exacerbated by unprecedented plant shutdowns. Just this week, Hexion has declared a force majeure for both their Pernis and Deer Park BPA facilities.

In this episode of the ICIS Podcast, Markets Reporter Julia Tan, the editor of the ICIS Asia-Pacific BPA Report speaks with Senior Editor Heidi Finch, the editor of the ICIS Europe BPA Report, to discuss current supply conditions for BPA as well as the possibility of arbitrage from Asia to the West.

SINGAPORE (ICIS)— The recent spate of outages in the US brought about by the winter storm has disrupted supply for a host of commodities, leading to a surge in polypropylene (PP) prices. Even though US is not a major PP exporter to Asia, tight supply conditions and new disruptions there have resulted in a greater demand pull for Asian and Middle Eastern PP cargoes.

In this episode of the ICIS Asia podcast, Senior Editor Manager Veena Pathare, editor in charge of the Middle East and south Asian PP markets speaks with Senior Consultant John Richardson on the recent supply and demand trends in PP.

• Unplanned production losses in the US may tighten supply further
• Shortage in container availability persists contributing to high freight rates
• PP demand remains robust in the backdrop of the pandemic

The US Gulf Coast storm impact could be worse than Hurricane Harvey, and cause a global supply crunch for major chemical product groups.
- Polar storm impact could be worse than Hurricane Harvey
- 100% of US capacity knocked out for major commodities
- Polar storm on top of shipping container, semi-conductor disruption
- Supply was already tight in some value chains
- Middle East and South Korea may replace lost US supplies
- Big question over real demand in China
- Globally, pandemic-related stockpiling may mask underlying poor demand
- Global supply chains not fit for purpose
- Brexit disruption will get worse when UK starts to enforce border controls
- Expect big drop in China 2021 net imports of polypropylene (PP), ethylene glycols (EG), paraxylene (PX), styrene
- China self-sufficiency means producers elsewhere may have to close capacity

Asia's styrene monomer (SM) prices have risen by almost 20% on the back of tightened supply outside of China, following unexpected production disruptions due to natural disasters ahead of the scheduled turnaround season in NE Asia, and improved buying sentiment as a result.

In this episode of the ICIS Asia podcast, Senior Editor Jasmine Khoo speaks with Trixie Yap, editor in charge of the Asia-Pacific Styrene Monomer market on the recent development.

- Firm buying sentiment emerge on even tighter supply outside of China
- Sufficient Chinese may balance out unexpected production losses in the West
- End-user demand volumes to hinge on downstream production spreads

Sylvia Traganida speaks to Senior Editor Andy Hemphill on the annual supply agreements agreed between Belarus Potash Company and its Indian and Chinese buyers – and what it could mean for the global potash trade.

Arabian Gulf petrochemical companies are committed to pursuing a low carbon future whilst battling the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and increasing self-sufficiency in China, according to the Gulf Petrochemical Association.
- Transition to a low carbon future presents opportunities for GCC chemicals
- Region is committed to boost recycling plus new, greener technologies
- GCC chemicals managed to grow volumes in 2020, despite the pandemic
- But 2020 sales projected to fall 20-24% to around $52bn
- Supply chain disruption in Q1, Q2 as China closed ports
- GCC trading volumes fell 9.2% in 2020, though global chemical trade fell 20%
- $72bn in planned projects due to be commissioned 2020-2024
- Planned projects may be delayed until chemical demand completely recovers
- Chemical volumes, sales expected to rebound in 2021
- Packaging expected to perform strongly
- China will become more self-sufficient in paraxylene (PX), ethylene glycol (EG), styrene and polypropylene (PP)

Senior editors Nel Weddle and Linda Naylor exchange views on the current ethylene, propylene, and polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) markets in Europe.