Tag Archives: Middle East

Sharp Drop in Global Isocyanates Trade Through May 2020 and Projected for Year End

The volume of isocyanates (combined MDI, TDI and other) traded through May 2020 was down 10% from the same period last year, based on latest available statistics. Asia-Pacific and Western Europe, accounting for more than half of global trade volume, each saw trade contract within their regions, with lower imports.

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Caustic Soda Global Trade in the First Quarter of 2020

Heavy exports from North America to Latin America, increased exports from Western Europe to various markets but lower imports into the region, and, much lower shipments out of the Middle East and Asia-Pacific were prominent trends.

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China’s Imports of Polymers, and, Exports of Fabricated Plastic Products Showed Relatively Small Declines in Q1 of 2020. Exports of PE and PP set new records in March.

Imports of commodity polymers totaled 6.8 million tons in the first quarter, down 5% from the same period, pre-Covid-19, in 2019. Exports of a basket of fabricated plastic products were down 3%, to 2.6 million tons.

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Huge Increases in Western Europe’s Imports of Ethylene and Propylene in 2019 from North America, Latin America and Middle East

Imports of ethylene into Western Europe increased by over 200% in 2019 versus 2018, and imports of propylene jumped 70%, based on latest statistics from reporting countries.

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Trends in Western Europe’s Imports of Polyethylene in 2019

Imports of linear low density polyethylene into Western Europe from North America are projected to nearly equal the region’s imports from the Middle East by year end 2019, based on latest available statistics from 90 countries. Imports of HDPE from North America are trending sharply higher. Imports of both LLDPE and HDPE from the Middle East declined in 2018 and are projected down in 2019.

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Global Trade in P-Xylene Projected Down 2% in 2019

Trade volume by year end is projected at 22 million tons, down 2% from 2018 based on the latest statistics from 50 countries. This compared with an 11% gain in global trade volume in 2018 versus 2017. Prominent trends in 2019 include a drop in Asia-Pacific intra-regional trade, increased exports from the Middle East, and lower shipments from North America.

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Caustic Soda World Trade

A new report on global trade in aqueous caustic soda projects 20.7 million tons of trade in 2019, up 3% from the prior year, based on latest available statistics from 60 countries. Statistics in the new Caustic Soda in Aqueous Solution World Trade Report project higher exports from all regions, except from the Middle East.

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Global LNG Trade Projected Up 4% in 2019; Huge Shifts in Trade Between Regions

LNG trade is projected to exceed 340 million tons by year end 2019, up 4% from 2018, based on latest available statistics from 90 countries. Major increases in exports from US and Russia are impacting trade flows globally.

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