Stronger US dollar may be a greater hurdle to US PVC exports than hurricanes, trade wars - ICIS Americas podcast 21 September 2018

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.