Chemical

China's coatings industry produced 34.6 million tonnes in 2025, down 7.1% year-on-year, while profits rose 11.5%. Export growth contrasted with weaker pigment trade as Middle East tensions raise supply chain cost risks.

Europe's chlorine production dropped to 637,100 tonnes in January 2026, down 12% year on year, while chlor-alkali plant utilization fell to 65.5% and caustic soda inventories declined to 216,000 tonnes.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is severely threatening Japan and South Korea's energy and petrochemical supply chains, disrupting crude imports, raising shipping costs, and driving volatility across regional chemical markets.

A blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is disrupting Middle East energy exports and raising risks for China's chemical trade, threatening supply chains, imports of key feedstocks, and exports heavily reliant on Gulf markets.

China's Producer Price Index fell 0.9% year-on-year in February 2026, while rising 0.4% month-on-month. Purchase prices declined 0.7% annually, with strong gains in non-ferrous metal materials.

Oil prices jumped sharply as escalating Middle East tensions raised fears of supply disruptions, with U.S. crude posting its biggest one-day gain since 2020 and gasoline prices rising nationwide.

Polyethylene prices in Asia surged after escalating Middle East tensions disrupted supply expectations, pushed crude oil higher, and raised freight risks, tightening global PE markets and driving sharp price increases.

The global Polyvinyl Chloride market shows diverging trends, with stronger export prices in the United States and Northwest Europe, stable demand in Southeast Asia, and a softer market in India amid oversupply and policy uncertainty.

Iran's halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has pushed oil prices sharply higher and disrupted exports of methanol, urea, and petrochemicals, raising supply risks and cost pressure across global and Asian markets.

Latest December 2025 data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China details assets, liabilities, costs and profits across China's textile, paper and rubber & plastics industries.

China's sulfur prices climbed over 7% after shipping through the Strait of Hormuz stalled, tightening Middle East supply, raising import costs, and amplifying geopolitical risk premiums.

Rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz are disrupting methanol, fertilizers, and petrochemical flows, driving price volatility and reshaping global chemical supply chains.

The United States is accelerating coal-to-ammonia, hydrogen and advanced materials projects to secure energy, food and AI power demand, signaling a major shift in global coal and chemical supply chains.

China's December 2025 TCCA imports surged year-on-year, while exports fell 18.3%, despite full-year export growth of 8.2%, with Mexico, the U.S., and Spain remaining key markets.

China's methanol market jumps ahead of holiday as geopolitical tensions in Israel and Iran threaten supply, while crude oil gains support from potential Middle East disruptions.

China's monochloroacetic acid imports and exports fell sharply in December 2025, with full-year trade volumes also declining year on year, according to official customs data.

As US–Iran negotiations resume in Geneva, Brent holds near $71 and WTI trades at $65–66, with markets pricing in a $7–10 geopolitical risk premium tied to sanctions and Strait of Hormuz supply risks.

The US has designated phosphorus and glyphosate as national security priorities, citing risks to defense supply chains, semiconductor production, agriculture and battery materials demand.

China's hydrochloric acid exports surged 87.2% in 2025 to 33,079.3 tonnes, while imports fell 8.9%, with Indonesia remaining the top export destination, customs data show.

KOREA CHEM 2026, Korea's premier chemical processing and specialty chemicals exhibition, will take place March 31–April 3 at KINTEX 1, showcasing advanced equipment, automation, and industrial solutions.

China's active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) sector is shifting from bulk exports to ecosystem leadership, backed by 45% of global FDA filings and $130 billion in innovative API licensing deals.

China's plastic products output fell 3.5% year on year in December 2025, while full-year production slipped 0.2%, according to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, with eastern provinces leading supply.

China's polyethylene capacity will exceed 45 million tonnes in 2026 as new supply surges, margins diverge across feedstocks, and demand recovery lags behind rapid industry expansion.

Europe's chlorine production fell 5.14% year on year in December 2025, with full-year output down 3.14%, while plant operating rates improved and caustic soda inventories showed mixed trends.

Amid global energy market volatility, China's coal chemical industry is boosting capacity, improving profitability and advancing green, low-carbon, high-end development to strengthen energy and supply chain security.

From late 2025, China's chemical prices soared over 50% in some products. Experts debate if 2026 marks a true industry boom or a short-term rebound amid cyclical adjustments.

China's chemical market in 2025 saw widespread price declines and margin pressure as capacity expansion neared its end, with fertilizers outperforming while most sectors hit multi-year lows.

Following Libya's 2025 ceasefire, TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips signed a $20B, 25-year Waha oil field deal, targeting 850,000 bpd and accelerating Libya's plan to reach 2 million bpd by 2030.

ExxonMobil posts $332B revenue and $28.8B profit in 2025, driven by record upstream output, strong refining margins, and progress on low-carbon initiatives, setting stage for long-term growth.

China's imports and exports of propylene oxide plunged in December 2025, with Thailand dominating imports and Vietnam leading exports, while full-year 2025 trade fell sharply year-on-year.