Daily Chemical Reaction
Suspicious Minds – 4Q Corporate Updates Remain Positive, Asia Production Hikes Hit Regional Values
Key Points:
- Chemical producer 4Q profit guidance updates continue to emerge, citing better-than-expected demand. This report discusses these business updates and commodity spot price trends suggesting per-unit profit shifts in 1Q21.
- We highlight multiple corporate items (e.g., Avient & Umicore 4Q20 profit guidance upticks; Air Liquide, Chart Industries, Trinseo, Arkema, Phillips 66, Pembina & LG Chem strategic moves; Lanxess & OQ price hikes)
- This report highlights numerous other relevant items – these range from the recent decline in Asia butadiene prices; to the demand-pull on naphtha from Asia ethylene cracker start-ups; to the use of clean-energy SPACs.
See PDF below for all charts, tables and diagrams