Japan’s defence minister has rebutted Beijing’s claim that his country was engaging in a “new militarism” – criticising China for its military expansion and lack of transparency. Shinjiro Koizumi argued it was actually China and its “huge arsenal” of weapons that was of “serious concern” to the international community. His remarks, on the […]
Read MoreTrump unveils $700m coal investment plan
Donald Trump plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to revive the US coal industry, with much of the new funding coming through the president’s wartime powers. “So today we’re taking historic action to bring down the price of energy and the cost of living for all Americans with the power of clean, […]
Read MoreUS announces new tariffs over forced labour concerns
The US has announced new tariffs of 10-12.5% on dozens of countries accounting for almost all its imports over concerns they are not doing enough to tackle forced labour. It is the second time President Donald Trump’s administration has announced new import taxes since the US Supreme Court struck down many of his previous […]
Read MoreEuropean polymers rise, Asian fall, US mixed. WTI and Brent Crude fall
European polymer prices continued to rise over the week to 29th May. There were increases of between 10 and 20 EUR per tonne reported in the prices of HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE and ABS. Asian polymers fell with reductions of between 10 and 90 USD per tonne reported in the prices of HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, […]
Read MoreNew Chevron Phillips plant to be fully operational in 2027
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company’s (CPChem) Golden Triangle Polymers plant in Orange, Texas, is reported to be entering its commissioning and startup phase. The facility expected to be fully operational in 2027. The plant, which is a joint venture between CPChem (51%) and QatarEnergy (49%), includes a 2,080 KTA ethane cracker and two 1,000 KTA […]
Read MoreAnger grows after China’s latest coal mining deaths
Anger is growing over alleged safety violations in the wake of China’s worst mining disaster in more than 15 years. At least 82 people were killed and more than 120 injured after an explosion on Friday at the Liushenyu coal mine in Shanxi province, the heart of China’s huge mining industry. For many […]
Read MoreOil prices fall on hopes of US-Iran peace deal
Oil prices have fallen sharply and Asian stock markets have risen on hopes of a deal that could bring an end to the US-Israel war with Iran. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said an agreement with Tehran had been “largely negotiated” and details would be announced soon but the following day urged his […]
Read MoreEuropean polymers rise, Asian and US fall. WTI and Brent Crude fall
European polymer prices continued to rise over the week to 22nd May. There were increases of between 10 and 40 EUR per tonne reported in the prices of HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, PET, PVC, ABS and Polystyrene. Asian polymers fell with reductions of between 20 and 40 USD per tonne reported in the prices of […]
Read MoreUK waters down new Russian oil sanctions
Plans to impose a ban on UK imports of diesel and jet fuel made from Russian oil in third countries have been watered down amid concerns over supplies and price rises. The UK government will now “phase in” some new sanctions over the coming months due to the effective blockade of the key Strait […]
Read MoreChina confirms order for 200 Boeing jets
China has confirmed that it will buy 200 Boeing jets after US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Beijing last week. Under the deal, the US will provide China with supply guarantees for aircraft engine parts and components, China’s Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday. The two sides will […]
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