ICIS - chemical podcasts

China has cut its tariff on U.S. LPG from 125% to 10% for 90 days, sparking a significant shift in trade dynamics. This relief may allow more U.S. cargoes into the market, potentially affecting pricing and Chinese petrochemical operations. However, market participants remain hesitant, signaling cautious optimism. As run rates for propylene derivatives hint at recovery, discussions also highlight trends in domestic production and adaptive strategies among local producers amid these tariff changes.

Raphael Jaumotte, Technical Manager at PETCORE EUROPE speaks to Matt Tudball, ICIS Senior Editor, Recycling about the PETCORE EUROPE Thermoforming Conference on 27-28 May in Dijion, France. Details of the event can be found via Petcore's webiste.The theme of PETCORE EUROPE's 3rd dedicated thermoforming conference is focused on PET thermoform circularity, and asks the question ‘how can collection and sorting of PET thermoforms be improved?’ Topics discussed include: PETCORE EUROPE's work in connecting the thermoforming industry Challenges of sorting and collection Impact of regulation on the thermoforming market The need of collaboratoin in the industry  New offerings and services that have come out of industry discussions

Joining the discussion are John Richardson from ICIS, who examines the effects of declining oil prices on chemicals, Paul Hodges of New Normal Consulting, offering insights into the fundamentals driving this downturn, and Tom Brown, ICIS Insight Editor, explaining OPEC's production increase. They highlight how low oil prices could boost petrochemical demand and discuss the implications of China's transition to electric vehicles and the ongoing trade war, which may dampen overall chemical market growth.

Demand in the EU and US epoxy markets remains muted and the sentiment has become even more cautious, as players navigate the changing and complex tariff landscape.In this podcast, senior editor Heidi Finch, who covers the Europe epoxy market and fellow senior editor Tarun Raizada, who covers the US epoxy market, share insights on key topics including tariffs, effects on sentiment, demand and profitability struggles.  Europe epoxy sentiment diluted in April; as Trump tariffs add to demand caution; competition from South Korea and within Europe US epoxy price momentum slowed in April as players scrambled to assess impact on supply chain after duty/tariff fallout Profitability still a challenge; but benzene drop in Europe provides some relief Sentiment cautious in US moving forward as demand outlook far less favorable amid extended tariff uncertainty Trump tariffs cast a cloud over the downstream outlook, EU players hope trade deals will be reached  Podcast editing by Nick Cleeve

From Trump's tough tariffs talk to pivotal recycling legislation, ICIS senior analysts and editors pick their top themes from the 11th ICIS World Polyolefins Conference in Cologne.Joining senior editor manager Vicky Ellis on the podcast are senior editor Ben Lake, senior analyst for PE Lorenzo Meazza, ICIS consultant Les Bottomley, senior recycling analyst Egor Dementev and senior analyst Alex Tomczyk.They discuss highlights from the conference, including examples of tariffs from US' history, how Europe's market views the tariffs headache, one speaker's view that AI could be “better at purchasing chemicals” than human buyers, and how polyolefins must get their head out of the sand on Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) rules or lose to other packaging.

The impending trade war is already hurting consumer and business sentiment and may help cause a global recession as demand collapses amid rampant chemicals overcapacity. -          US retailers fear empty shelves, fuelling inflation-          Uncertainty, chaos is hurting business, dampening consumer sentiment-          China chemicals demand growth could be negative in 2025-          China may exempt $46 billion of US goods from tariffs including ethane, polyethylene (PE), styrene polymers -          Huge drop in May bookings for China imports through US ports-          Power back to normal in Spain after nationwide outage on 28 April, chemical plants restarting-          System should be resilient to adapt to swings in solar and wind production

Discover the current landscape of European oxo-alcohols and derivatives as uncertainty looms over the market. Experts discuss the cautious outlook amidst global tariff discussions and unpredictable economic conditions. Spring typically boosts demand from the coatings sector, but players are struggling with planning. The conversation dives into how new U.S. tariff measures are shaping the glycoethas market, with expectations of downward price pressure. It’s a lively examination of how market dynamics impact various sectors.

LONDON (ICIS)--European Melamine Editor Melissa Hurley interviews Senior Editor Sylvia Traganida, Deputy Managing Editor Deepika Thapliyal, Market Reporter Joy Foo and Connor Phillips.Market factors to consider ahead of May: Asia Melamine market grappling with weak demand and increasing supply Asia exports dropped in March but expected to flow into Europe May/June Reduced melamine supply in Europe offset by ongoing sluggish demand conditions No tariff impact on US melamine so far Global urea demand expected to slow from H2 May China not resuming urea exports yet despite the domestic season ending Subdued European Ammonia demand; waiting for nitrates market to pick up Natural gas TTF prices softened, but European fertilizer producers reluctant to ramp up production due low demand

In this podcast, ICIS analyst Jasmine Khoo and Mason Liang talk about the current situation and outlook for the methyl methacrylate (MMA) market.

Join analyst Seymour Chenxia from the ICIS editorial team as he dives into the turbulent world of the Asian propylene market. He discusses how surging propane import costs due to US-China tariffs could plummet China's PDH run rates below 60%. The conversation reveals shifting supply dynamics, potential plant shutdowns, and how these economic pressures impact downstream demand for propylene derivatives. Chenxia offers insights into market trends and pricing forecasts amid this chaotic landscape, painting a clear picture of the challenges ahead.