The S&P Global "Chemical Trends H1 2025" report and ACC's June 20, 2025, update outline a complex global chemicals market for H1 2025, driven by US-China trade tensions impacting fibers, with tariffs potentially boosting US demand. Construction recovery in China, India, and the US may lift PVC and EPS demand, while recycled polymers face legislative hurdles. Low-carbon methanol struggles with high costs despite Europe’s FuelEU regulation, with China leading production. Benzene and ethylene markets navigate capacity shifts and weak demand, especially in Europe, and Latin America faces import price pressures from a strong US dollar. The ACC projects a 1.9% rise in US chemical volumes, with housing starts at 1.4 million and exports at $175.4 billion, though trade uncertainties pose risks.
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