Icis Americas Podcast

News reporter David Haydon speaks with senior editors Tarun Raizada and Lane Kelley on US ethylene glycol and methanol (respectively) in regards to the upcoming winter season. As colder weather draws near, winter blends phase in for various products, such as antifreeze containing monoethylene glycol (MEG) for car engines, or windshield wiper fluid which utilises methanol.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with senior editor Tarun Raizada on the US epoxy market. The US epoxy resin market has been balanced recently, with prices steady as compared to the fluctuating market from the beginning of the year.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with senior editor Bill Bowen on the US polyvinyl chloride (PVC) market. US PVC export growth survived hurricane Florence and thus far is weathering the trade war between the US and China, but now stymied by currency headwinds as the US dollar outperforms foreign currencies.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with markets editor Lucas Hall on US aromatics, including the toluene and mixed xylenes (MX) markets. Discussions include the state of the market as summer driving season ends, the expected price drop as gasoline blends switch for the winter, as well as the outlook for aromatics amid the trade war between the US and China.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with markets editor Steven McGinn on expected strong demand in the US methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) market. Discussions include LyondellBasell's recent groundbreaking for its $2.4bn propylene oxide (PO)/tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) project in Channelview, Texas. The TBA will be converted to MTBE and ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE). MTBE was phased out of the US gasoline pool over a decade ago in favour of corn-based ethanol. However, international markets, such as Mexico, Latin America and China, remain a robust destination for the gasoline additive, and Lyondellbasell said it sees its high-octane fuels production as key to the growing market.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with markets editor Annalise Little and senior editor Mark Milam on the US fertilizers markets. Discussions include the bearish market during the Southwestern Fertilizer Conference recently held in San Antonio, Texas, as well as updates regarding US/China tariff effects on US farmers and the latest on the tight global market for Sulphur.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with senior editor Ron Coifman on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) markets in Latin America. PVC prices rose in July, a result of trends from Asia.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with markets editor Steven McGinn and energy senior analyst James Fowler on Mexico's general elections, which will be held on 1 July. The vote for Mexico's new president is likely to have far reaching implications for the country, with the front-runner Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) having shown strong anti-energy reform criticisms. A win for AMLO could also have implications for trade between the US and Mexico, not only in regards to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) but also for fuel and natural gas imports as well.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with senior editor manager Bill Bowen, deputy news editor Al Greenwood and ICIS Chemical Business global editor Joseph Chang on the ongoing trade dispute between the US and China. Discussion includes the concerns from market participants with the 6 July date looming for the first batch of tariffs to come into effect. Talk also includes reactions on optimistic outlooks from market participants and company executives, despite threats to the industry stemming from proposed tariffs on dozens of petrochemical and oil products by both countries.

News Reporter David Haydon speaks with Steve Russell, vice president of the plastic division for the American Chemistry Council (ACC). Following the G7 meeting, where the US opted out of signing an annex for an ocean plastics reduction charter, the ACC stressed several of its sustainability and environmental goals. Russell also discusses the delayed retirement of ACC CEO Cal Dooley, who will aid in increasing the ACC's role in recycling and plastic waste elimination.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with markets reporter Steven McGinn on the US gasoline market. Gasoline prices are higher year on year at the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, creating a high-risk situation to consumers and the industry if another major hurricane were to hit the US Gulf Coast.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with senior editor Ignacio Sotolongo on the US and global crude oil markets. Discussions include Brent hitting $80/bbl before retreating, strong global demand trends, the market's reaction to US President Donald Trump pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, as well as OPEC's possible retreat from the 2017 agreement to curb oil output.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with senior editor John Dietrich on the US phenol and acetone markets. Discussions include how domestic phenol supply is tightening as producers look to increase volumes into the export market.

News writer David Haydon speaks to representatives from Lubrizol, Braskem USA and Shell on the sidelines of NPE2018 in Orlando, Florida. Speakers discussed interactive technology at their booths, as well as latest developments in products and various markets. 

News reporter David Haydon speaks with market editor Adam Yanelli on the methyl methacrylate market. Discussions include the markets high prices from global tightness, as well as the Saudi Methacrylates Company’s (SAMAC) MMA facility in Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, which was shut early in the week due to unexpected utility issues.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with senior editor Larry Terry on the US acrylates markets, which have recently entered their busy season following the end of winter. Supply, which has remained tight since Hurricane Harvey in 2017, is an ongoing concern in the markets, as is transportation availability.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with markets reporter Steven McGinn on the US ethanol market and recent announcements by President Donald Trump that support E15 blended gasoline sales year-round. Facing potential tariffs from China on US corn exports, farmers and biofuel producers are pushing for the new potential E15 policy, while refiners suggested that the US move from an ethanol-blending standard and bring in a minimum gasoline octane rating.

News reporter David Haydon speaks with fertilizers managing editor Julia Meehan and markets editor Mark Milam on the global fertilizers market, including the negative impact leftover winter weather is having on demand.

News reporter David Haydon speaks to markets reporter Amanda Hay about the US polyethylene terephalate (PET) market. Discussion includes the recently approved sale of Mossi & Ghisolfi’s (M&G) integrated polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/purified terephthalic acid (PTA) project in Corpus Christi, Texas to CC Polymers, as well as supply concerns in the tight market.

News reporter David Haydon speaks to senior editor Lane Kelley and deputy managing editor Zachary Moore about the upcoming American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) International Petrochemical Conference (IPC) to be held in San Antonio, Texas between March 25-27. Topics include potential effects of US President Donald Trump's recent tariff decisions, as well as recent price movements in several petrochemical markets.