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| 21 April 2008 | Crude oil prices have continued to hit record levels, with WTI reaching as high as $117. Brent is now trading at $111.94 per barrel and WTI at $116.58. Naphtha in Europe has averaged $880 so far in April and is now at $918 per ton. Naphtha in Asia has been seen as high as $940 for June volume. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 3.5 cents per pound for April. Chemical grade propylene for April is at 63.5 cents per pound DEL. Asian propylene spot prices have risen sharply to $1400 per ton CFR. The Q2 propylene price in Europe has been settled at €927 per ton DEL, down €18. Ammonia prices remain strong but have weakened slightly. | ||
| 21 April 2008 | Acrylonitrile markets are seen as broadly balanced. Feedstock costs are rising. Spot prices have increased in Europe and Asia and Chinese domestic prices have risen sharply. | ||
| 21 April 2008 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for April is higher by $40 per ton CFR at the top and bottom of the range. China domestic acrylonitrile prices are now much closer to Asia spot prices. US acrylonitrile export prices for April have increased by $10-30 per ton. In Europe, T1 prices for April have increased by $10 per ton at both ends of our range. | ||
| 21 April 2008 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For April 2008, it has settled contract prices at $1975 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for May is $2060 per ton CFR. | ||
| 21 April 2008 | Acrylic fibre demand in Asia continues to improve. Production remains well cut back however. April acrylic fibre import prices to China have increased by 5 cents per kg. Prices elsewhere in the region have increased by 5-8 cents per kg CFR. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for April are unchanged in Euros. US import prices for April are unchanged from March. | ||
| 21 April 2008 | Cotton and wool prices in US$ have decreased for April. Asian polyester staple prices are flat at $1.38-1.42 per kg CFR. | ||
| 21 April 2008 | ABS demand in China has fluctuated during the past month. The ABS price range in Asia for April has increased and hit a high of $1890 per ton CFR. Toray Plastics Malaysia has started up its ABS/MBS expansion. | ||
| 21 April 2008 | ABS prices are unchanged in the US despite efforts by producers to increase them. In Europe, there was some success in increasing ABS prices in March. Further price initiatives are being attempted due to poor margins caused by hikes in raw materials and other costs. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | During the last two weeks, crude oil prices have hit record levels, breaching the $100 per barrel level and reaching as high as $110. Brent is now trading at $101.40 per barrel and WTI at $103.27. Naphtha in Europe has averaged $861 so far in March and is now at $835 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts decreased by 3 cents per pound for February. Chemical grade propylene for February was at 58 cents per pound DEL. March contracts are not fixed. Asian propylene spot prices have fallen back in March. The Q2 propylene price in Europe has been settled at €927 per ton DEL, down €18. Ammonia prices have moved up further. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | Acrylonitrile markets remain balanced. Demand is slowly picking up. Spot prices have increased in Europe and Asia. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for March has increased by $20-30 per ton. China domestic acrylonitrile prices have increased. US acrylonitrile export prices for March have increased by $40 at the lower end of the range and by $10 at the top end. In Europe, T1 prices for March have increased by $10-20 per ton. T2 contract prices for Q1 have settled up €100 per ton. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For March 2008, it has settled contract prices at $1955 per ton CFR (the settlement is not however, unanimous). Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for April is $2020 per ton CFR. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | Asahi Kasei has announced details of the joint venture that will build new acrylonitrile and MMA capacity in Thailand for late 2010. INEOS and BASF have announced that INEOS will purchase the Seal Sands site in England. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | Acrylic fibre demand in Asia is improving slowly. Production is not at full strength but is improving. Acrylic fibre import prices in Asia for March have increased slightly. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey and US import prices for March are stable. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | Cotton and wool prices in US$ have increased for March as have Asian polyester staple prices to $1.38-1.42 per kg CFR. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | ABS demand in China strengthened then weakened again. The ABS price range in Asia for March is up by $40 at the bottom of the range and $80 at the top. Chi Mei and GPPC have announced a merger in China. | ||
| 20 March 2008 | ABS prices have increased slightly in the US. ABS producers in the USA and Europe continue to push for higher prices. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | Crude oil prices eased back early in the month but are now close to the $100 per barrel level again. Brent is now trading at $98.49 per barrel and WTI at $99.99. Naphtha in Europe averaged $832 for January and is now at $863 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts decreased by 2 cents per pound for February. Chemical grade propylene for February is at 59 cents per pound DEL. Asian propylene spot prices have eased slightly lower for February. The Q1 propylene price in Europe at €945 per ton DEL is the highest in the world. Ammonia prices have continued to increase very strongly in all regions. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | Acrylonitrile supply/demand in all regions is well balanced ahead of the significant turnaround period of February/March/April. Spot prices have eased back in Europe but strengthened in Asia. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for February is up $10 at both the top and bottom. China domestic acrylonitrile prices have increased slightly. US acrylonitrile export prices for February have moved down at the bottom of the range but been maintained at the top. US domestic contracts for February have increased as a result of lower propylene but substantially higher ammonia prices. In Europe, T1 prices for February moved lower at the bottom of the range. T2 contract prices for Q1 are yet to be fully established. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For February 2007, it has settled contract prices at $1940 per ton CFR (the settlement is not however, unanimous). Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for March is $2000 per ton CFR. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | Acrylic fibre demand in Asia remains subdued. Better activity is expected starting in March. Some production cuts remain in place but output is improving. Acrylic fibre prices for February are seen as stable in all regions. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | Wool prices in US$ have fallen back as have cotton prices. Asian polyester staple prices are slightly down for February. Downward pressure continues. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | ABS demand in China appears slow but looks likely to improve in March. The ABS price range in Asia for February is up slightly from Janaury. Feedstock cost increases are leading to higher March quotes. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | ABS producers in the USA and Europe are pushing for higher prices in response to the higher feedstock costs. | ||
| 20 February 2008 | LANXESS has announced the closure of its NBR plant at Sarnia in Canada. Production will be transferred to France. | ||
| 23 January 2008 | Crude oil prices have again teased the $100 per barrel level but have now eased back. Brent is now trading at $89.60 per barrel and WTI at $89.64. Naphtha in Europe averaged $841 for December and is now at $803 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 0.5 cents per pound for January. Chemical grade propylene for January is at 61 cents per pound DEL. Asian propylene spot prices have moved higher for January. The Q1 propylene price in Europe has increased by €57 to €945 per ton DEL. Ammonia prices have increased very strongly in all regions. | ||
| 23 January 2008 | Acrylonitrile supply/demand in all regions is well balanced. Spot prices have eased back in both Asia and Europe. | ||
| 23 January 2008 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for January has moved lower by $40 at the low end and $20 at the top end. China domestic acrylonitrile prices have again moved lower. US acrylonitrile export prices for January have moved down by $20 at the top end. US domestic contracts for January have increased on the back of hikes in both propylene and ammonia. In Europe, T1 prices for January have moved lower at the top end of the range. | ||
| 23 January 2008 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For January 2007, it has settled contract prices at $1930 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for February is $1990 per ton CFR. | ||
| 23 January 2008 | The 2008 acrylonitrile plant turnaround schedule is taking shape. We see a very heavy turnaround programme during February and March and also a heavy schedule developing for June and September. | ||
| 23 January 2008 | There is no change in acrylic fibre demand. Overall, it remains weak. Significant production cuts remain in place. January acrylic fibre import prices to China have moved lower by a few cents per kg. Prices elsewhere in the region have also softened. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for January are stable as are US import prices. | ||
| 23 January 2008 | Wool prices in US$ have increased, as have cotton prices. Asian polyester staple prices are stable at $1.37-1.42 per kg CFR, but are under downward pressure. | ||
| 23 January 2008 | ABS demand in China/Asia is as expected. The ABS price range in Asia for January is $1730-1790 per ton CFR. Feedstock costs are increasing, particularly butadiene. ABS producers in both the USA and Europe are pushing for higher prices in response to the feedstock situation. To date however, we see little movement for January. | ||
| 19 December 2007 | Crude oil prices have eased off the peaks of November but still remain high. Brent is now trading at $90.25 per barrel and WTI at $89.93. Naphtha in Europe averaged $827 for November and is now at $844 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 0.5 cents per pound for December. Chemical grade propylene for December is at 60.5 cents per pound DEL. Asian propylene spot prices have moved higher for December. Ammonia prices have increased sharply in all regions. | ||
| 19 December 2007 | The acrylonitrile supply/demand balance has eased due to lower demand. Spot prices have fallen back in Europe and Asia. | ||
| 19 December 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for December has fallen back by $20 at the top of the range but is unchanged at the bottom. China domestic acrylonitrile prices have moved lower. US acrylonitrile export prices for December have moved lower by $20 per ton. US domestic contracts for December have increased due to the increases in propylene and ammonia. In Europe, T1 prices for December have fallen back below $1900 per ton CFR. European T2 contracts for Q4 have increased by €35-45 per ton. | ||
| 19 December 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For December 2007, it has settled contract prices at $1930 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for January is $1970 per ton CFR. | ||
| 19 December 2007 | Acrylic fibre demand remains weak more or less everywhere. Production cuts remain in place. December acrylic fibre import prices to China have moved lower by 5 cents per kg. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for December have increased by €0.03 per kg DEL. US import prices for December are stable. | ||
| 19 December 2007 | Wool prices in US$ are stable. Cotton prices have eased back as have Asian polyester staple prices to $1.37-1.42 per kg CFR. | ||
| 19 December 2007 | ABS demand in China/Asia has now slowed down. The ABS price range in Asia for December is $1730-1810 per ton CFR. | ||
| 19 December 2007 | ABS prices in the USA have increased. In Europe they are unchanged. In the USA, Dow has announced that it will only supply ABS/SAN to the automotive sector from 1 February 2008. | ||
| 21 November 2007 | Crude oil prices have again hit new highs with numbers edging towards $100 per barrel. Brent is now trading at $95.94 per barrel and WTI at $98.88. Naphtha in Europe averaged $750 for October and is now at $827 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 7.25 cents per pound for November. Chemical grade propylene for November is at 60 cents per pound DEL. Asian propylene spot prices have moved slightly higher for November. In Europe, Q4 propylene contracts are at €888 per ton DEL. Ammonia prices have fallen in Europe but increased in the USA and Asia. | ||
| 21 November 2007 | Acrylonitrile markets see slightly better spot availability due to the severe cuts in acrylic fibre production. The market in China is balanced to long. Spot prices have been relatively stable in November. | ||
| 21 November 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for November is more or less unchanged from that in October. The top end of the range has moved lower by $10. China domestic acrylonitrile prices continue to fall. US acrylonitrile export prices for November are unchanged from those in October. US domestic contracts for November increased sharply on the back of the hike in propylene and ammonia prices. In Europe, T1 prices for November are more or less stable. | ||
| 21 November 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For November 2007, it has settled contract prices at $1925 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for December is $1950 per ton CFR. | ||
| 21 November 2007 | Substantial acrylic fibre production cuts remain in place in Asia and Europe/Turkey. Acrylic fibre import demand to China is slow. Chinese domestic acrylic fibre prices have fallen further. November acrylic fibre import prices to China are unchanged from those seen in October as are prices elsewhere in the region. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for November and US import prices have increased. | ||
| 21 November 2007 | Wool prices in US$ have moved slightly higher. Cotton prices continue to increase. Polyester staple prices in Asia have moved higher. The November range is $1.40-1.45 per kg CFR. | ||
| 21 November 2007 | ABS demand in China has remained surprisingly high in November but is now slowing. The ABS price range in Asia for November is $1760-1820 per ton CFR. ABS demand in Europe remains strong. In the USA it is weak. Sellers in both regions are pushing for higher prices. | ||
| 17 October 2007 | Crude oil prices have hit new record highs. Brent is now trading at $84.57 per barrel and WTI at $87.58. Naphtha in Europe averaged $697 for September and is now at $760 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 3 cents per pound for October. Chemical grade propylene for October is at 52.75 cents per pound DEL. Asian propylene spot prices have moved slightly lower for October. In Europe, Q4 propylene contracts have been settled up €10 per ton. Ammonia prices have fallen in Asia but increased in the USA and Europe. | ||
| 17 October 2007 | Acrylonitrile markets remain tight everywhere with little spot product available. Drastic cuts in acrylic fibre production have been seen but to date the acrylonitrile balance remains unchanged. Spot prices in all regions have increased in October. | ||
| 17 October 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for October has increased by $100 at the low end and by $40 a the top end. China domestic acrylonitrile prices are falling. US acrylonitrile export prices for October have increased by $90 at the low and high end. US domestic contracts for October increased on the back of the propylene hike. T1 prices for October are seen at and just above $1900 per ton CFR. | ||
| 17 October 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For October 2007, it has settled contract prices at $1910 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for November is $1920 per ton CFR. | ||
| 17 October 2007 | Major acrylic fibre production cuts are in place in Asia and Europe/Turkey. Acrylic fibre import demand to China is very slow. Chinese domestic acrylic fibre prices continue to fall. October acrylic fibre import prices to China have moved lower by a couple of cents per kg. Prices elsewhere in the region are stable. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for October have increased as have US import prices. | ||
| 17 October 2007 | Wool prices in US$ have increased sharply. Cotton prices have also increased. Polyester staple prices in Asia have moved up at the lower end of the range to $1.35-1.40 per kg CFR. | ||
| 17 October 2007 | ABS sales to China remain strong. The ABS price range in Asia for October is $1730-1780 per ton CFR, a small increase from September. | ||
| 17 October 2007 | ABS demand in Europe is buoyant but remains weak in the USA. INEOS has completed its ABS JV with LANXESS. | ||
| 20 September 2007 | Crude oil prices have moved substantially higher over the past month. Brent is now trading at $78.58 per barrel and WTI at $82.01. Naphtha in Europe averaged $648 for August and is now at $711 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts decreased by 2.5 cents per pound for September. Chemical grade propylene for September is at 49.75 cents per pound DEL. Asian propylene spot prices have stabilised in September. Ammonia prices have fallen in Asia but increased in the USA and Europe. | ||
| 20 September 2007 | Acrylonitrile markets are tight. Spot product is scarce and expensive. Some further supply side problems have occurred, the most significant being at Secco in China. In addition, Pemex has lost output. Spot prices in all regions have increased in September. | ||
| 20 September 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for September increased by $40-90 per ton CFR. US acrylonitrile export prices for September increased by $50-60per ton FOB. US domestic contracts for September fell due to lower propylene. In Europe, T1 prices for September increased by up to $90 per ton CFR. T2 contracts for Q3 have increased by €35-40 per ton DEL. | ||
| 20 September 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For September 2007, it has settled contract prices at $1805 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for October is $1880 per ton CFR. | ||
| 20 September 2007 | Acrylic fibre import demand to China is slow. Chinese acrylic fibre producers have cut production in September. Chinese domestic acrylic fibre prices have fallen. September acrylic fibre import prices to China increased by 2 cents per kg. Prices elsewhere in the region increased by 5 cents per kg. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for September are stable in Euros but higher in US dollars. US import prices for September are stable but increases for October are being sought. | ||
| 20 September 2007 | Wool prices in US$ have increased. Cotton prices have increased slightly. Polyester staple prices in Asia are unchanged and in the range $1.30-1.40 per kg CFR. | ||
| 20 September 2007 | ABS sales to China have been strong. The ABS price range in Asia for September is $1720-1760 per ton CFR. | ||
| 20 September 2007 | ABS demand in the USA is somewhat weak, while it is strong in Europe. Prices in both regions are stable. SABIC has concluded its purchase of GE Plastics. | ||
| 22 August 2007 |
PCI Acrylonitrile Ltd is pleased to announce that on 27 August,
Kim Van Cleave is joining its team. Kim has 19 years of experience in
the chemicals business and has worked with Amoco, BP Chemicals, Innovene and
INEOS Nitriles. Her most recent role was, 'Global Product and Sales Support
Manager' with INEOS Nitriles. Within this role she was responsible for
managing global acrylonitrile inventory and arranging logistics for
international freight movements of product. In addition, she was involved in
monitoring the global sales plan and liaising with the global sales team,
business management and the financial control group. Kim's role in PCI Acrylonitrile Ltd will be to back up Simon Garmston with data collection and analysis (production, demand, trade etc.), having input to both multi and single client reports. In addition, an initial focus will be working on the long awaited update of the Hydrogen Cyanide & Derivatives World Supply/Demand Report which will be issued in the first half of 2008. Kim is located in Naperville, Illinois, USA. |
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| 22 August 2007 | Crude oil prices peaked a month ago and have eased back since then. Brent is now trading at $69.24 per barrel and WTI at $71.05. Naphtha in Europe averaged $683 for July and is now at $641 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 1.75 cents per pound for August. Chemical grade propylene for August is at a record high of 52.25 cents per pound DEL. Asian propylene spot prices have increased in August. Ammonia prices have fallen in Asia and the USA but have started to increase in Europe. | ||
| 22 August 2007 | Acrylonitrile markets remain snug in all areas. Demand is basically good but the supply side has seen some lost output. Asian spot prices have increased in August while in Europe they are stable. There is a push for higher spot prices for September. | ||
| 22 August 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for August has increased by $20-50 per ton. US acrylonitrile export prices for August have seen an increase. US domestic contracts for August increased on the back of higher propylene contacts couple with lower ammonia. In Europe, T1 prices for August are relatively stable. | ||
| 22 August 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated 'Headline Price' for its major contract customers in Asia. For August 2007, it has settled contract prices at $1785 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced that its 'Acrylonitrile Far East Contract Price' for September is $1800 per ton CFR. | ||
| 22 August 2007 | Acrylic fibre import demand to China has slowed. Chinese acrylic fibre producers plan to cut production in September. August acrylic fibre import prices to China have increased as have prices elsewhere in the region. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for August are stable in Euros (down in US$). US import prices for August have increased by up to 3 cents per pound. | ||
| 22 August 2007 | Wool prices in US$ have fallen back. Cotton prices have increased. Polyester staple prices in Asia are stable and are again seen in the range $1.30-1.40 per kg CFR. | ||
| 22 August 2007 | ABS consumption in China is strong but immediate import demand is slow. Pre-buying ahead of new import/re-export regulations has been seen. The ABS price range in Asia for August is $1700-1730 per ton CFR. ABS prices in both the USA and Europe are stable. | ||
| 24 July 2007 | Crude oil prices continue to increase. Brent is now trading at $78.22 per barrel and WTI at $75.53. Naphtha in Europe averaged $668 for June and is now at $678 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 0.75 cents per pound for July. Chemical grade propylene for July is at 50.5 cents per pound DEL. In Europe the Q3 propylene contract price has been settled at €878 per ton DEL (+€28). Ammonia prices continue to fall in all regions. | ||
| 24 July 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for July has moved up buy $20 on the low and down by $20 on the high. The average for July is the same as that for June. US acrylonitrile export prices for July are down by $20 per ton. US domestic contracts for July have increased slightly. In Europe, T1 prices for July have moved lower by circa $40 per ton. | ||
| 24 July 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated price for its major contract customers in Asia. For July 2007, it has settled contract prices at $1720 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced an increase in its price idea for August shipments to $1780 (+$20). | ||
| 24 July 2007 | In Mexico, Pemex has successfully restarted its 65,000 tons per year acrylonitrile plant at Tula. | ||
| 24 July 2007 | Acrylic fibre demand in all areas has been strong but some slowdown looks likely in August. July acrylic fibre import prices to China have increased by up to 10 cents per kg. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for July have increased again. US import prices for July are stable. | ||
| 24 July 2007 | Wool prices have fallen back. Cotton prices have increased dramatically. Polyester staple prices in Asia are stable and are again seen in the range $1.30-1.40 per kg CFR. | ||
| 24 July 2007 | INEOS and LANXESS have announced an ABS joint venture. The company will be called INEOS ABS. Initially ownership will be 51% INEOS and 49% LANXESS but in September 2009 INEOS will take 100% share. BASF has announced that it is looking to sell its styrenics activities (which includes its ABS business). | ||
| 20 June 2007 | Crude oil prices have increased from last month. Brent is now trading at $72.11 per barrel and WTI at $68.61. Naphtha in Europe averaged $689 for May and is now at $683 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts decreased by 2.25 cents per pound for June. Chemical grade propylene for June is at 49.75 cents per pound DEL. Ammonia prices have fallen back in all regions. | ||
| 20 June 2007 | Acrylonitrile spot prices have increased again in June and in all regions. The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for June has increased by $60-70 per ton CFR. US acrylonitrile export prices for June have moved up strongly. US domestic contracts for June have moved down on the back of the decrease in contract propylene and softer ammonia. In Europe, T1 prices for June have pushed higher. | ||
| 20 June 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated price for its major contract customers in Asia. For June 2007, it has settled contract prices at rollover in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced an increase in its price idea for July shipments to $1760 (+$20). | ||
| 20 June 2007 | BASF has announced that it will stop adiponitrile production (from acrylonitrile) in England in 2009. This will free up acrylonitrile for the merchant market. It has made a deal to buy adiponitrile from Invista. | ||
| 20 June 2007 | Acrylic fibre demand in China is now strong. Relatively high acrylic prices however, are leading to continued substitution. The acrylic fibre situation in the USA/Mexico remains difficult. Import prices have increased. Acrylic fibre demand in Europe/Turkey is not too bad. Prices have been increased again. | ||
| 20 June 2007 | Wool prices continue to strengthen. Cotton prices have also increased quite sharply. Polyester staple prices in Asia are more or less stable. | ||
| 20 June 2007 | ABS consumption in China is strong. Buying however, has stalled. The ABS price range in Asia for June is $1680-1720 per ton CFR. ABS imports to China for YTD April 2007 were 652,941 tons, up 40,984 tons on YTD 2006. US and European ABS makers continue to push for higher prices due to escalating raw material costs. | ||
| 24 May 2007 | Crude oil prices have maintained very high levels. Brent is now trading at $69.86 per barrel and WTI at $64.20. Naphtha in Europe averaged $655 for April and is now at $680 per ton. Record naphtha prices have been seen in all areas - over $700 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 4 cents per pound for May. Chemical grade propylene for May is at 52 cents per pound DEL. Ammonia prices have fallen back in all regions. | ||
| 24 May 2007 | Acrylonitrile spot prices have increased in all regions. The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for May has increased by $30-70 per ton CFR. US acrylonitrile export prices for May have moved up sharply. US domestic contracts for May have moved up on the back of the hike in contract propylene. . In Europe, T1 prices for May have moved up strongly. | ||
| 24 May 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has settled its monthly negotiated price for its major contract customers in Asia. For May 2007, it has settled contract prices up $50 per ton CFR in all cases. Asahi Kasei has announced an increase in its price idea for June shipments of $30 per ton - to $1740 | ||
| 24 May 2007 | Solutia has filed a new reorganisation plan that could see it emerge from chapter 11 in Q3 | ||
| 24 May 2007 | Asian acrylic fibre prices have increased in May. The acrylic fibre situation in the USA/Mexico sees spinners under great pressure. Fibre prices look set to increase. Prices in Europe for May have edged up. | ||
| 24 May 2007 | Wool prices continue to strengthen. Cotton prices have decreased again. Polyester staple prices in Asia have increased by 5 cents per kg for May. | ||
| 24 May 2007 | ABS demand in China has picked up. The ABS price range in Asia for May is $1650-1710 per ton CFR. ABS imports to China for YTD March 2007 were 459,219 tons, up 33,341 tons on YTD 2006. European and US ABS makers are trying to increase prices due to escalating raw material costs. SABIC is to buy GE Plastics for US$11.6 billion. | ||
| 25 April 2007 | Crude oil prices have increased during the last month by circa 10%. Brent is now trading at $67.93 per barrel and WTI at $64.15. Naphtha in Europe averaged $605 for March and is now at $660 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts increased by 4 cents per pound for April. Chemical grade propylene for April is at 48 cents per pound DEL. Spot propylene in Asia looks likely to increase. In Europe, Q2 propylene contracts are up €30 per ton from Q1. Ammonia prices remain high in all regions. | ||
| 25 April 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for April has increased by $30-40 per ton CFR. US acrylonitrile export prices for April have also moved higher. US domestic contracts for April increased sharply on the back of the 4 cents hike in contract propylene. In Europe, T1 prices for April have increased. | ||
| 25 April 2007 | SNF has announced an agreement with DuPont to: "purchase additional acrylonitrile capacity from Beaumont, Texas, along with related distribution equipment." | ||
| 25 April 2007 | Acrylic fibre demand in Asia (China and elsewhere) is lacklustre. Some output has been cut. Prices have increased for April on the back of higher raw materials. Sellers need to increase prices further. Demand in Europe is difficult to gauge. Prices have edged up. US acrylic fibre demand is unspectacular. Spinners fear higher prices. | ||
| 25 April 2007 | Wool prices have strengthened this month due to good demand. Cotton prices have drifted lower. Polyester staple prices in Asia have edged higher for April. | ||
| 25 April 2007 | ABS demand in Asia is OK. The ABS price range in Asia for April is $1610-1680 per ton CFR. ABS imports to China for YTD February 2007 totalled 284,039 tons, up 18,737 tons on YTD 2006. European and US ABS makers need to increase prices due to higher raw material costs | ||
| 21 March 2007 | Crude oil prices have increased steadily over the last month. Brent is now trading at $60.18 per barrel and WTI at $56.61. Naphtha in Europe averaged $563 for February and is now at $599 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts rolled over for March. Chemical grade propylene for March is at 44 cents per pound DEL. Spot propylene in Asia is expected to increase in April. In Europe, Q2 propylene contracts have been settled up €30 per ton from Q1. Ammonia prices have moved higher in all regions. | ||
| 21 March 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for March has increased by $20 per ton CFR. US acrylonitrile export prices for March have increased $20-30 per ton. US domestic contracts for March have edged up. In Europe, T1 prices for March have moved higher $40-60. | ||
| 21 March 2007 | INEOS Nitriles has announced an increase of its acrylonitrile capacity at Green Lake, Texas. The expansion of 84,000 tons will start operation Q3 2008. | ||
| 21 March 2007 | Acrylic fibre demand in Asia is picking up. Prices have increased for March, but Q1 margins are poor. Demand in Europe and markets close by is strong. Prices have stabilised. US acrylic fibre demand is sluggish but improving. | ||
| 21 March 2007 | Wool prices have strengthened this month as China is back in the market. Cotton prices have also moved up. Polyester staple prices in Asia are now seen in the range $1.25-1.30 per kg CFR. | ||
| 21 March 2007 | We think ABS demand in Asia is improving and likely to continue to do so. The ABS price range in Asia for March is $1580-1650 per ton CFR. ABS imports to China for January 2007 totalled 153,449 tons, up 21,120 tons on January 2006. | ||
| 21 March 2007 | European ABS demand is strong. In the US it is steady but unspectacular. March prices are stable but sellers seek increases. | ||
| 22 February 2007 | Crude oil prices have been down and then up in the past month but are now higher than a month ago. Brent is now trading at $57.74 per barrel and WTI at $58.86. Naphtha prices have increased. Naphtha in Europe averaged $511 for January and is now at $543 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts have increased in February by 2.5 cents per pound. Chemical grade propylene for February is at 44 cents per pound DEL. Spot propylene in Asia has decreased for February but is expected to increase in March. Ammonia prices have moved higher in all regions. | ||
| 22 February 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for February is $20-30 per ton higher than in January. US acrylonitrile export prices for February are higher by circa $20 per ton. US domestic contracts for February have increased on the back of higher propylene and ammonia prices. In Europe, T1 prices for February have moved up circa $20 per ton. Q1 T2 contract prices have fallen by €45 per ton on average. | ||
| 22 February 2007 | Asahi KASEI has announced the successful commercial start-up of the propane-process acrylonitrile line at Tongsuh in Korea. INEOS Nitriles has commented on its new monthly contract price setting mechanism for its major contract customers in Asia. | ||
| 22 February 2007 | Acrylic fibre producers in Asia are having a very tough time. With acrylonitrile prices at circa $1600 per ton and acrylic fibre prices at circa $2 per kg, margins are under great pressure. Acrylic fibre demand in Asia remains seasonally slow. Demand in Greater Europe is looking OK but maybe stimulated by lower prices. US demand is steady. | ||
| 22 February 2007 | February acrylic fibre import prices to China have increased slightly. Prices elsewhere in the region are stable for February. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey have fallen for the second month in a row. US import prices for February are unchanged. | ||
| 22 February 2007 | Acrylic fibre imports to China for full year 2006 totalled 337,158 tons, compared to 464,628 tons in the same period of 2005. Domestic production is higher however. | ||
| 22 February 2007 | Wool prices have weakened slightly this month as more product is on offer. Cotton prices have also moved lower as have polyester prices. | ||
| 22 February 2007 | ABS demand in Asia is OK for the time of year. New capacity has started in China. The ABS price range in Asia for February is $1570-1640 per ton CFR. ABS imports to China for full year 2006 totalled 2,014,744 tons, up 27,705 tons on 2005. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | Crude oil prices have fallen back sharply during the past month. Brent is now trading at $53.66 per barrel and WTI at $52.42. Naphtha prices have also decreased. Naphtha in Europe averaged $544 for December and is now at $518 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts have increased in January. Increases of both 2.25 and 2.5 cents have been seen. Spot propylene in Asia has increased for January. In Europe, contract propylene for Q1 2007 is at €820 per ton DEL. Ammonia prices are moving higher in all areas. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | The acrylonitrile supply/demand balance is firming up. January spot prices have moved lower, but sellers are now pushing for higher prices for the next business. The import duty for acrylonitrile to China has been lowered to 5% for 2007. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for January is almost unchanged from December. The bottom of the range has declined by $10 per ton CFR. US acrylonitrile exports for January are seen in a very similar range to December. US domestic contracts for January have increase in price on the back of the increase in both propylene and ammonia. In Europe, T1 prices for January have declined by circa $70 per ton CFR. New quotes are higher however. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | Acrylic fibre demand in Asia continues to see seasonal slowness. We are hearing of Chinese fibre offered for export. Demand in Greater Europe has recovered a little. Production is higher than in December. US demand is steady and in Mexico demand has improved. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | January acrylic fibre import prices to China and elsewhere in the region have declined by 3-5 cents per kg. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey have fallen back by €0.05 per kg DEL. US import prices for January are unchanged. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | The import duty for acrylic fibre to China has remained at 5% for 2007. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | Wool prices have strengthened sharply this month. Cotton prices are relatively stable, while polyester prices have moved up at the bottom of the range. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | ABS demand in Asia is very probably at a similar rate to January in most years despite the market being described as 'dead'..! The ABS price range in Asia for January is $1570-1670 per ton CFR. The import duty for ABS to China has been lowered to 7.6% for 2007. | ||
| 24 January 2007 | ABS demand in Europe is strong and in the USA is reasonable. January prices are stable but sellers seek increases. | ||
| 19 December 2006 | Crude oil prices have edged higher during the past month. Brent is now trading at $61.70 per barrel and WTI at $62.70. Naphtha prices have also increased. Naphtha in Europe averaged $520 for November and is now at $556 per ton. US chemical and polymer grade propylene contracts rolled over for December. Spot propylene in Asia is relatively stable. In Europe, contract propylene for Q1 2007 has settled at €820 per ton DEL. Ammonia prices are moving higher. | ||
| 19 December 06 | The acrylonitrile supply/demand balance has eased as demand has softened and supply increased. Spot prices have moved down for December. | ||
| 19 December 06 | The PCI Asia/Far East acrylonitrile import price range for December has fallen by $40 per ton CFR. US acrylonitrile export prices for December have moved lower by up to $70 per ton FOB. US domestic contracts for December are unchanged. In Europe, T1 prices for December have fallen by circa $40 per ton CFR. | ||
| 19 December 06 | Acrylic fibre demand in Asia has slowed down. Acrylic fibre demand in Greater Europe has also weakened. Some producers have cut rates. US demand is steady and in Mexico demand has improved. | ||
| 19 December 06 | December acrylic fibre import prices to China are unchanged from November. Prices elsewhere in the region have fallen back by 2 cents per kg. Domestic prices in Europe/Turkey for December are unchanged from November as are US import prices. | ||