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Japan’s Mitsubishi Chemical, Asahi Kasei and Mitsui Chemicals have reached a basic agreement to merge their naphtha-fed steam crackers, scrapping the steam cracker in Mizushima, the companies said in a joint statement Jan. 27. Mitsubishi Chemical and Asahi Kasei jointly own a naphtha-fed steam cracker

European LNG prices have seen rapid widening versus their gas equivalent, with the LNG-TTF basis spread rising 81% month over month as buyers compete for slots across the continent and North American liquefaction rates pump out spot cargoes. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed

Indian rice exporters expect to capture a larger share of the US market following the trade deal that lowers US import duties, with the biggest gains likely in basmati rice, while Thai and Pakistani exporters said they expect minimal impact due to different market positions

North Asia chicken leg prices rose 2% in January, underpinned by persistently low Brazilian export volumes and firm Japanese demand, which tightened supply in Japan. CFR North Asia chicken leg prices climbed from $2,890/mt Dec. 31 to $2,950/mt Jan. 30 for March-April loading to Tokyo,

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has published the first draft project design document for the Kosher Biogas Program under India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme offset mechanism, inviting public comments, BEE Director Saurabh Diddi said in a social media post Feb. 9. The Kosher Biogas Program,

Northeast Cash gas prices in the Northeast region remained elevated, as cold temperatures boosted gas demand, while production ticked lower. Algonquin city-gates averaged $27.785/MMBtu in the two weeks ended Feb. 11, compared with $15.968/MMBtu in the same period a year ago, while TETCO-M3 and Transco,

Vietnamese rice prices are expected to see limited impact after the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture signaled that rice imports would be limited to around 150,000 metric tons per month in March and April, multiple exporters and buyers told Platts Feb. 17. The combined 300,000 mt

Seventeen health and environmental groups, as well as 18 youth climate activists, filed petitions with a federal appeals court in hopes of halting the Trump administration’s most consequential environmental deregulatory effort thus far. The US Environmental Protection Agency on Feb. 12 made good on a

India and Brazil have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in mining and minerals used in steelmaking, as Indian producers expand capacity and seek to secure longer-term access to key raw materials, according to a Feb. 21 joint statement. Brazil ranks among the

PVC producer Orbia forecasts moderate growth in Latin American markets for 2026, with stronger demand conditions in Brazil expected to offset anticipated ongoing weak fundamentals in Mexico, executives said in the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call. “Market conditions are expected to remain subdued in Europe and

Asian biofuels prices rose March 2 due to concerns about supply disruption stemming from geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Ethanol Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed Asian fuel-grade ethanol up $8/cubic meter to $607/cubic meter CIF Philippines on March 2, while industrial-grade B

The escalating conflict in the Gulf is likely to impact beef exports from Australia and India as air freight to the Middle East has halted completely, and shipping diversions are increasing costs for suppliers, multiple beef exporters said March 3. Iran and Israel are not

The Netherlands transitioned from an energetic model under the HBE mechanism (renewable energy units) to a carbon emissions-based model, ERE (emission reduction units) for the 2026 compliance year on Jan. 1 under the new Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) legislation. Fuel suppliers that deliver more

TITAN Group has signed a 10-year agreement with Electric Power of Serbia EPS, the country’s state-owned power utility, securing access to approximately 5 million metric tons of fresh fly ash from the TENT B “Obrenovac B” power plant, the company said in a statement Jan.

China imported 13.77 million metric ton of metallurgical coal in December, up 28.3% from November, according to the latest data from the China General Administration of Customs. Mongolia was the largest supplier to China, with 6.72 million mt in December, up 7.6% from November, accounting

Spot LNG cargo activity in the Asian LNG cargo Platts Market on Close assessment process rose 132.2% year over year to record high levels for 2025 deliveries, as market participants sought greater price transparency and more active position management. A total of 5,739 bids, offers

The EU will phase out all imports of Russian gas and LNG by late 2027 following a final European Council vote Jan. 26, cementing the landmark policy to cut ties with the bloc’s once-dominant gas supplier in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “As

The EU and Vietnam signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to strengthen cooperation across key sectors, notably trade and investment in critical minerals and semiconductor supply chains. In a joint statement released on Jan. 29, both parties committed to expanding and deepening trade and investment opportunities

Indian Oil Corp. will explore options to boost US crude imports while remaining open to evaluating purchases of Venezuelan oil when it becomes available, as the largest state-run refiner looks to accelerate diversification to strengthen energy security amid a shifting geopolitical landscape, Chairman Arvinder Singh

Singapore has launched its first voluntary sustainable aviation fuel procurement trial, bringing together nine companies to test a centralized buying system that aims to build a scalable sustainable aviation fuel ecosystem ahead of a mandatory levy taking effect in October 2026, the Civil Aviation Authority

The head of Trafigura said he is not worried about Europe’s growing dependence on US LNG because of buyers’ flexibility to source from elsewhere, if needed. “I’m not particularly concerned about that issue of overreliance on the US,” Richard Holtum told the LNG2026 conference in

European soybean meal prices rose Feb. 5, tracking gains in Chicago Board of Trade futures. The futures rose after US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post Feb. 5 that China had agreed to buy additional volumes of US soybeans in the current

Share of G7-linked tankers in Russia’s crude export market fell to a four-month low last month, with ship operators finding lucrative business opportunities elsewhere amid a tightening sanctions regime. Tankers flagged, owned or operated by companies based in G7 countries and their allies, or insured

YPF, Eni and XRG signed a binding joint development agreement to move forward on Argentina LNG, a project to export 12 million metric tons/year of liquefied natural gas from Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale play to the global market, the companies said Feb. 12. The accord

The Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (ABIOVE) has pushed back against the European Commission’s proposal to phase out soybean-based biofuels by 2030, arguing that the underlying Indirect Land-Use Change (ILUC) analysis overstates soybean’s deforestation footprint. In a note published on LinkedIn on Feb. 16

Glencore grew its oil and natural gas trading volumes to their highest since the coronavirus pandemic in 2025, but struggled to offset losses linked to falling prices, the company said Feb. 18, observing lasting challenges navigating a softer market environment. The Switzerland-headquartered commodities trader achieved

The prices of Singapore Straits-origin MTBE hit an over five-month high on Feb. 20, according to data from Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on limited supply due to the absence of Chinese production amid the Lunar New Year. Platts assessed MTBE FOB Singapore at

The UK would support a full maritime services ban on Russian crude oil and refined products, even without US backing, ministers said in the House of Commons Feb. 25. In a business and trade subcommittee discussing the UK’s trade sanctions regime, Esther Blythe, the UK’s

Rising tensions between Iran and Israel are keeping Asian traders alert, as concerns grow over potential increases in freight costs and logistics pressures for key agricultural commodities, including grains, chicken, and beef, market participants said. Asian grains market participants are largely taking a wait-and-see approach.

The European ethylene contract price for March was settled at Eur1,145/mt March 2, a Eur50/mt increase from February, according to market sources. Four sellers and two buyers confirmed the settlement. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, considers the contract price fully settled when two independent

South Korea said it sees no LNG shortages despite a production halt in Qatar and disruptions to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, as the country has sufficient stockpiles to buffer any short-term interruptions while preparing to secure alternative supplies. “The country has sufficient LNG

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association is calling on Members of the European Parliament to rapidly ratify the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, as European industries race to secure access to critical raw materials, including lithium and rare earth metals, essential for electric vehicle production and the continent’s

US-based Energy Fuels Inc. will acquire Australian Strategic Materials Limited in a deal that values ASM at $299 million, creating what Energy Fuels said is the largest fully integrated rare earth elements producer outside China. The transaction combines Energy Fuels’ rare earth oxide separation capabilities

US and EU sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft threaten to disrupt major seaborne flows of Russian crude to India and China. As buyers navigate compliance risks, Asia’s top refiners now face pressure to diversify supply sources while managing price volatility and logistical challenges.US and EU

Asian paraxylene spot prices continued to rise Jan. 26 despite a subdued physical market as domestic downstream production slows down ahead of the Lunar New Year, reaching their highest in nearly 17 months largely on the back of a surge in Chinese futures. Platts, part

India’s liquid biofuels sector is poised for substantial growth over the next five years, with domestic production expected to surge up to 85% by 2030 if policy support accelerates, according to an International Energy Agency report released Jan. 29 at the India Energy Week. In

This report is part of a series on impactful trends in the US aluminum market based on S&P Global Energy pricing, news, and analytics. The US A380 aluminum market has entered 2026 under mounting pressure, driven less by demand fundamentals and more by aggressive competition

The US will launch a strategic critical minerals reserve to boost American industry and reduce reliance on foreign trading partners for the materials, President Donald Trump announced Feb. 2. The reserve, dubbed “Project Vault,” will serve as the first-ever stockpile of critical minerals “to ensure

Large downside risk and a volatile London Metal Exchange, which has caused tariff fluctuations in the US aluminum market, means Canadian metal is still arriving in Europe despite a record-high US Aluminum Midwest Premium, market participants told Platts at the S&P Global Aluminum Symposium in

Green Plains said it expects carbon-related earnings to reach at least $188 million in 2026, as the ethanol producer reported a profitable fourth quarter and welcomed proposed US Treasury regulations governing the 45Z clean fuel production tax credit. The Omaha-based biofuels company posted net income

Global trade in fish and aquaculture products is expected to continue expanding in both volume and value despite heightened policy uncertainty, trade disruptions and rising logistics risks, a senior FAO economist said Feb. 9 at the World Seafood Congress 2026. William Griffin, a trade economist

The European Commission has announced definitive antidumping duties of up to 7.5% and 21.7% against South Korean and Taiwanese acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene imports, respectively, on Feb. 13. Antidumping investigations into ABS imports were first initiated on Dec. 19, 2024, according to a release from the European Commission,

India allowed exports of 2.5 million metric tons of wheat, lifting a 2022 ban, according to a Press Information Bureau statement on Feb. 13. India also allowed exports of 500,000 mt of wheat products, the statement said. “In view of higher stock availability, softening prices,

The US government owes importers billions of dollars in tariff refunds after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s country-specific duties, but trade lawyers say navigating the reimbursement process may not be an easy feat. The six justices on the majority opinion did not

South Korea has approved its first support package for the struggling downstream industry by signing off on a Daesan complex integration plan involving the country’s third-largest oil refiner, Hyundai Oilbank; its petrochemical joint venture, Hyundai Chemical; and Lotte Chemical, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and

A confirmed case of H5N1 bird flu in commercial poultry in Argentina on Feb. 23 is being monitored by poultry traders, with participants saying the broader market impact will depend on whether the situation extends beyond Argentina. Argentina’s National Food Safety and Quality Service confirmed

Soybean exporters in Brazil and the US may see a dip in exports over the next few weeks amid the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, traders based in the US and Brazil said. “The overall volume is very small. But a long term war

Asian butadiene market rose $45/mt day over day March 3, driven by tight supply concerns from the Middle East as well as Asian regions amid intensifying US-Iran conflict, market sources said. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed CFR China butadiene price up $45/mt day

Iran has claimed it is restricting passage through the Strait of Hormuz only for vessels linked to Western nations and Israel rather than fully closing the critical energy chokepoint, as maritime traffic remained severely disrupted and regional oil exporters explored using stranded tankers for floating

Spot prices on the Japan Electric Power Exchange rose to Yen 13.37/kWh for Jan. 21, marking the third consecutive daily increase, with the 24-hour day-ahead price soaring 16.4% from Yen 11.49/kWh for Jan. 20, amid a heavy snow forecast. The Jan. 21 JEPX price is

China’s unsatiable appetite for imports of paraxylene are unlikely to slow down through 2026 despite planned domestic expansions as well as a halt in its rapid expansion of downstream purified terephthalic acid production, market sources told S&P Global Energy. On an annual basis, China’s PX

US corn growers and ethanol producers have criticized the exclusion of bipartisan legislation permitting year-round sales of E15 gasoline blends from the latest appropriations package approved by the House of Representatives on Jan. 22. Lawmakers said they have opted to create a new E15 Rural

Rising electrification across sectors is expected to further strain India’s rapidly increasing power demand, intensifying pressure on sustainability in the highest CO2-emitting sector, Rajnath Ram, advisor – energy at NITI Aayog, a key policy planning body, told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. India generated

Carbon intensity, not just cost, will ultimately determine which sustainable aviation fuel pathways scale as global carbon markets tighten, with agricultural residue-based ethanol emerging as a long-term winner, a leading bioeconomy executive said Jan. 29. Speaking at a panel titled “Accelerating the adoption of Sustainable

The European Union–Mercosur trade agreement, though met with concerns, holds the potential to boost export opportunities for Brazil’s plastic packaging sector, says José Ricardo Roriz, President of the Brazilian Plastics Industry Association (Abiplast). “Brazil is very competitive in grains and animal protein exports,” said Roriz.

This report is part of a series on impactful trends in the US aluminum market based on S&P Global Energy pricing, news, and analytics. Historically wide spreads on certain primary grades of scrap, driven by record high Midwest Transaction Premiums, ongoing tariff uncertainty, and shifting

US midstream aluminum manufacturers are seeing a shifting demand environment after the removal of electric vehicle incentives and the rise of data center construction, industry leaders said at the S&P Global Aluminum Symposium. “The need for data centers is being driven by internet use and

China’s rising rice imports are set to create fresh opportunities for Asian exporters, as weak global prices and attractive price gaps are driving Beijing’s overseas buying spree, trade sources told Platts, Feb. 4. Despite strong domestic output, China is expected to ramp up overseas purchases

With one of the world’s largest shares of renewables in its energy generation mix, Brazil offers opportunities for companies in the country seeking to reduce their emissions. For example, Brazil is close to implementing a market for carbon certificates that will change the way companies

There should be a steady stream of high-standard logistics, industrial, and office projects built in Brazil in 2026, according to Matheus Cardoso, the South America CEO and president of global real estate giant Cushman & Wakefield, and this increased activity should likewise sustain demand for

The Indian government has approved an additional 500,000 mt of sugar exports for marketing year 2025-26 (October-September), increasing the total export allocation to 2 million mt, according to an official press release late Feb. 13. The additional quota will be distributed on a pro-rata basis

Feb. 24 marks four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a brutal conflict that has had a profound impact on oil prices, crude trade flows, sanctions policy and energy security. Hopes of an end to the war rose in early 2026, with

The EU’s ammonium sulfate imports rose 315.9% year over year to 522,000 metric tons in December 2025, primarily driven by higher inflows from China, according to the latest data from S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Global Trade Atlas, as buyers accelerated shipments ahead of the EU’s

The US Environmental Protection Agency has submitted the long-delayed proposal for biofuel volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, to the US Office of Management and Budget for approval, said US EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation Aaron Szabo on Feb. 25

India’s bioenergy company, Praj Industries, is positioning protein co-products as a key driver of future revenue growth for grain-based ethanol producers globally, Atul Mulay, president of corporate strategy, told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, in an exclusive interview. “Globally, distillers are increasingly integrating protein-rich

Asian aromatics have reacted to crude oil hike amid the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with several aromatics products reaching a multi-month high on March 3. At 4:30 PM Singapore time (0830 GMT), the ICE May Brent futures contract was up $8.36/b (11.69%) from

The US Treasury Department on March 5 issued a 30-day waiver to allow the sale and delivery of sanctioned Russian oil that has already been loaded on vessels to India, a move that could prevent a near‑term supply disruption stemming from geopolitical tensions in the

Global dirty and clean tanker freight rates are likely to be firm this year due to trade disputes and sanctions, despite a large supply of newbuilds expected to enter the market, participants said Jan. 19. There is certainly going to be a large growth in

The Brazilian polyethylene import market’s buying appetite remains reduced, atypically for January, amid uncertainties over the possibility of the delay of the final decision on antidumping duties on US and Canadian products, according to market participants. Brazil implemented on Aug. 29 preliminary antidumping duties valid

Southeast Asia is positioned to become the world’s leading driver of aviation decarbonization, with the potential to produce up to 8.5 million barrels/day of sustainable aviation fuel by 2050, according to the ASEAN SAF 2050 Outlook report. The report, released on the sidelines of the

The EU is ending an era-defining reliance on Russian fuel. EU governments granted final approval Jan. 26 to ban the remaining imports of Russian gas and LNG over the next two years. Russia was once Europe’s dominant gas supplier, underpinning a large share of the

The surge in US natural gas prices has prompted several tolling contract offtakers to cancel US LNG export volumes, choosing instead to sell into the higher-priced domestic market as spot values skyrocketed. US NYMEX February Henry Hub futures reached $6.954/million British thermal units on Jan.

Oil-fired generation led the ISO New England fuel mix during the January winter storm that swept across a majority of the nation, driving up heating demand and power prices as temperatures plummeted. The last time oil topped the ISO-NE fuel mix was three days in

Oil India’s future upstream strategy will aim to strengthen its position in the Northeast, Rajasthan, Cambay and Mahanadi, as well as expand offshore exploration capabilities in deep and ultradeep waters, its Chairman and Managing Director Ranjit Rath said. And as the company plans to undertake

The EU risks falling short of key supply targets under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) because it remains heavily reliant on imports and has made limited progress in scaling domestic production, refining and recycling, according to the European Court of Auditors, the top audit

As the world’s largest palm oil supplier, Indonesia’s pro-biodiesel stance has become a structural driver of global vegetable oil prices. A higher blending mandate diverts more palm oil into domestic biofuels and reduces exportable supplies. However, low crude oil prices along with high palm oil

Topsoe CEO Roeland Baan is sanguine about the energy transition, even amid sector headwinds marked by policy setbacks and investment delays, and is confident the company can deliver meaningful renewable hydrogen cost reductions by the end of the decade. Topsoe is eyeing 60% hydrogen production

The White House pushed back against recent reports flagging a potential rollback of the 50% steel and aluminum tariffs, saying they are “baseless speculation,” a Trump administration official told Platts on Feb. 13. The Financial Times on Feb. 13, citing anonymous sources, said the Trump

China, the world’s largest soybean importer, is anticipated to receive 7 million metric tons of soybeans from Brazil and Argentina during February-April, including 5.5 million mt in shipments in transit, according to S&P Global Commodities at Sea data as of Feb. 18. These shipments were

US President Donald Trump announced he would sign an order on Feb. 20 to impose a 10% stackable global tariff following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn his administration’s country-specific tariffs. These tariffs will be imposed under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974,

The East Mediterranean LNG market is at parity with Northwest Europe for April contracts as weaker shipping rates and dwindling demand pull down prices in what is typically the premium market. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed the East Mediterranean LNG marker for April

Chubu Centrair International Airport in central Japan will prioritize securing feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel and raising public awareness on SAF to increase its passenger and airliner traffic, Naoyuki Shigeno from Centrair said at a conference on carbon neutrality in Tokyo Feb. 24. The availability

Israel has halted natural gas exports after curtailing production amid missile attacks from Iran, a spokesperson for the country’s energy ministry told Platts Feb. 28. The Iranian missiles are being fired against Israel following the joint US-Israel attack against Iran earlier in the day. “Due

The war with Iran paralyzed polymer transactions from Asia and Middle East to the Americas on March 2, with offers of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride heard to be suspended, while transactions between the US and Latin America have also cooled amid a “wait and

Oil producers and exporters in the Middle East continue to face severe restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure. “The scale and duration of a price spike will depend on how much oil is kept off the market

Asia’s low sulfur fuel oil cash differentials have risen to their highest premium in more than four months, buoyed by an uptick in downstream demand after the year-end holiday season and expectations of stronger bunkering activity in the run-up to the Lunar New Year in

Commodities trader Trafigura has signed a binding six-year offtake agreement to purchase the entire output of an advanced sustainable aviation fuel project in Uruguay that converts biogas into drop-in jet fuel using renewable electricity, the companies have said. Under the agreement, announced Jan. 21, Trafigura

Even as producers push to expand gas exports from Israel following a decade of dramatic growth that has seen it morph into a key regional supplier, domestic needs remain a priority for the country ahead of its fifth offshore gas exploration round, Israel’s Petroleum Commissioner

South Korea reported four new outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) in January, a significant increase compared to the six cases reported for all of 2025, according to the ASF Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on Jan. 27. The first 2026 case was detected

India is expected to release a sustainable aviation fuel roadmap that could place significant emphasis on producing jet fuel from alcohol, Deepak Ballani, director general of the Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers’ Association, said Jan. 28. The SAF roadmap could tap into surplus ethanol production

On the cusp of its third decade, gas-focused producer Energean is eyeing expansion beyond the East Mediterranean waters that host the bulk of its operations, CEO Mathios Rigas told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, in a recent interview. In particular, Rigas anticipates the model

India’s imports of LNG will likely grow about 10% year over year in 2026, reflecting expanding city gas distribution networks, an increased potential of a gas-to-power switch and expectations of softening LNG prices, Managing Director and CEO of the Indian Gas Exchange Rajesh Kumar Mediratta

Prices for MTBE loading from China reached a more than seven-month high Feb. 4, supported by healthy buying interest from arbitrage markets despite weak sentiment in the nearby Straits region, according to Platts assessments and Asia-based traders, brokers and producers. Platts, part of S&P Global

Demand for bunker fuels at the Sri Lankan ports of Colombo and Hambantota remained stable in January, supported by strong supplies, according to market sources. Trincomalee continued to see volumes rise amid higher demand from bulk carriers. Stable volumes Market participants said demand for bunker

The European Commission’s Waste Technical Adoption Committee has approved an implementing decision that expands the definition of recycling to include chemical recycling and clarifies how recycled content in single-use polyethylene terephthalate bottles is calculated and verified under the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive. The implementing decision,

Regulatory stability, consistent pricing and scalable technology are all factors needed for miners to consider before building new coal plants, industry leaders said at the American Coal Council’s Miami Coal Forum. The Trump administration has announced several regulatory and policy actions aimed at improving the

The European Regions Airline Association has raised concerns over tight timelines for sustainable aviation fuel documentation under the EU mandate, warning that delayed certification from fuel suppliers could jeopardize airlines’ ability to comply and access financial support. In a statement issued Feb. 17, ERA said

The oil and gas industry believed that producing hydrogen and its derivatives could fill new markets for low-emission fuel. But fertilizer companies are competing for the same limited customer base — and so far, with greater success, according to industry watchers. In 2025, ExxonMobil paused

Domestic European flat steel prices have surged to their highest levels since 2024 as tightening EU trade defences and the full implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism look set to shift traditional import trade flows. Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, last assessed domestic

Crude palm oil prices are expected to trade between MR4,000 and M4,300 ($1,027.35-$1,104.41) per metric ton in March, supported by seasonal declines in production and stocks, industry body, the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, or MPOC, said Feb. 23. Palm oil prices have remained firm above