South Korea’s SK Group is cutting ties with one of its highest-profile China ventures, moving to sell its entire 35% stake in Sinopec-SK Petrochemical, a dramatic retreat from commodity chemicals as global oversupply crushes margins. The sale, led by SK Geo Centric Co., a subsidiary of SK Innovation Co., is now in talks with China […]
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) prices in Europe came under renewed pressure this week, with spot values sliding sharply while contract prices largely held their ground. Market participants reported that a combination of sluggish downstream demand and plentiful supply continued to weigh on sentiment, keeping buyers firmly on the sidelines. Industry sources said spot LDPE prices fell […]
France’s petrochemical market is bracing for a lengthy outage as Naphtachimie has taken its large steam cracker in Lavera offline for scheduled maintenance. Industry sources indicate that the shutdown began in the first half of September 2025 and, according to market chatter, the facility may remain out of operation until the end of the year. […]
Open-spec naphtha prices in Asia began the week on a softer note. On Monday, bids for the first half of September were assessed at USD 596 per metric ton CFR Far East, while offers stood slightly higher at USD 598 per metric ton CFR Far East. This reflected a marginal decline of USD 2 per […]
In a decisive move to address chronic oversupply and bolster shrinking profit margins, South Korea has launched an ambitious restructuring of its ailing petrochemical sector, targeting the dismantling of small, standalone naphtha crackers in favor of streamlined operations and strategic consolidation. Under a government-guided voluntary pact, ten leading petrochemical companies have agreed to slash naphtha-cracking […]
On Monday, ethylene prices in the United States declined as deals were concluded at lower levels, reflecting a softer sentiment in the petrochemical chain. Ethylene was assessed at 21.50–22.00 cents/lb FD US Gulf, down by 0.50 cents/lb compared to last Friday. In contrast, Asia recorded firmer sentiment, with ethylene prices assessed at USD 835–845/mt CFR […]
On Tuesday, open-spec naphtha bids for the second half of August gained traction in the Asian market. Bid levels were pegged at USD 571/mt CFR Far East, with ask prices reaching USD 573/mt, both marked USD 3/mt higher than Monday’s assessments. According to a regional market source, maintenance activities across Asia are reshaping demand patterns. […]
Despite weakening energy values, ethylene prices in Asia held steady on Monday, defying expectations of a downturn. Market participants reported limited trading activity, as buyers and sellers remained on the sidelines, hesitant to commit amid falling naphtha prices and broader market uncertainty. According to an industry source who spoke to Polymerduniya on condition of anonymity, […]
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