US benzene price surge has ripple affect

FromCommodities Focus

Start listening View podcast show

US benzene price surge has ripple affect

FromCommodities Focus

ratings:

Length:

7 minutes

Released:

Feb 4, 2014

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Bernardo Fallas, managing editor of the Americas, and John Calton, associate editor for aromatics, delve into the factors behind the recent surge in benzene prices on the US Gulf Coast, what the market expects in the near term, and the impact on downstream markets. We welcome any feedback or...

Released:

Feb 4, 2014

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

S&P Global Commodity Insights analysis of key news and pricing issues from across the global shipping, natural gas, power, petrochemicals, agriculture, and coal markets.

Skip carousel

Ignore the warm, US natural gas prices will reignite: The NYMEX gas futures market sees cold next week and next-day cash prices retreat only a bit, despite warmer temperatures this week. Plus, a steel company found an unusual way to hedge its gas costs – pair up with a driller. Platts editors Valarie Jacks by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Winter weather wreaks havoc on US petrochemical business: Platts US petrochemicals editors Jeremy Rakes and Chris Ferrell examine the effects that this year's harsh winter weather has had on the logistical side of the US petrochemical business, including an impact on propane prices, barge traffic issues, and del by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Interview: Challenges facing carbon capture and storage in Europe: Ahead of Platts' annual CCS conference in Brussels February 18-19, Henry Edwardes-Evans spoke to Dr Graeme Sweeney, Chairman of the Zero Emissions Platform, on the European Commission's energy and climate goals to 2030, and the challenges facing carbon ca by Commodities Focus
13 min listen
Interview: Ineos director Tom Crotty on falling profits from European petrochemical assets: Global petrochemical producer Ineos has seen its profit from European assets halve while those from the US have tripled in the last three years. Tom Crotty, group director, talks to Platts' Nandita Lal and Hetain Mistry about the European petrochemical in by Commodities Focus
13 min listen
Polar vortex spins up US natural gas markets: Polar vortex cold ignites cash gas market in New York and New England, futures stay quiet. Natural gas price predictions for 2014 and how did the analysts do in 2013? Platts editors Bill Holland, Valarie Jackson, and Chris Tremulis report. We welcome an by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Interview: Stephen Bowers, Evonik, on the outlook for European MTBE, gasoline markets (part 1) by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
US gas prices soar on Arctic blasts: US natural gas prices -- both future and spot -- are soaring as the nation sees unusual winter cold. Platts’ Bentek unit sees at least 700 Bcf more gas coming out of storage by mid-February, worrying some analysts about end-of-winter levels. Gas Daily e by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Impact of shale gas developments on global polyethylene dynamics: Platts petrochemical editor Nandita Lal talks to Platts petrochemical analyst Hetain Mistry about the latest Shale to Polyethylene report highlighting how the shale gas developments in North America and the conversion of coal to olefins in China are impac by Commodities Focus
7 min listen
Turkish polymer demand sinks due to currency turmoil: Anna Ward and Daved Chohan, Platts petrochemical editors based in Europe, discuss the impact of the weakness in the Turkish Lira on Turkey's polymer market and the short-term recovery seen in the polypropylene market. We welcome any feedback or suggestio by Commodities Focus
3 min listen
Italian gas, power prices see a bearish start to the year as outlook remains uncertain: Beatrice Bedeschi, associate editor for European gas and power, discusses recent regulatory developments in the Italian markets and price trends at the start of 2014. We welcome any feedback or suggestions for topics. Contact us at webeditor@platts.com. by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
US benzene price surge has ripple affect: Bernardo Fallas, managing editor of the Americas, and John Calton, associate editor for aromatics, delve into the factors behind the recent surge in benzene prices on the US Gulf Coast, what the market expects in the near term, and the impact on downstrea by Commodities Focus
7 min listen
A look ahead at natural gas prices for the coming summer: Platts natural gas editors Letitia Vasquez and Patrick Badgley take a step back from the price volatility the US has seen this winter and look ahead to the expectations for natural gas prices this summer. We welcome any feedback or suggestions for topics by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Heating demand boosts natural gas to all-time high: Platts natural gas editors Letitia Vasquez and T.L. Hamilton discuss the record highs reached in Northeast daily and forward natural gas prices brought on by the polar vortex when heating demand was way up. We welcome any feedback or suggestions for top by Commodities Focus
5 min listen
Expectations for the North American polyethylene market: Platts petrochemical editor Anna Ward talks to Platts petrochemical analyst Chris Ferrell about the current state of polyethylene markets in North America and market expectations that prices could eventually move lower. We welcome any feedback or suggest by Commodities Focus
7 min listen
Oil, gas production in East Africa includes juggling local, global demands: Bob Fryklund, chief upstream strategist, IHS Energy, spoke with Platts web editor Elizabeth Bassett about challenges the energy industry will face in East Africa on the fourth day of the 45th Offshore Technology Conference. While countries like Mozambique by Commodities Focus
7 min listen
Atlantic thermal coal supply in 2014: Platts' associate editors Jacqueline Holman and Jaime Concha discuss how recent Colombian coal supply disruptions have affected European-delivered spot prices and the repercussions on supply-demand fundamentals in 2014. We welcome any feedback or suggest by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Will winter ever end? And how will we refill storage?: Another blast of cold this week drove next-day cash gas prices higher by double digits for New England and New York. The weather isn’t expected to linger but the hangover from all the gas withdrawn from storage to heat a 20-year winter may linger into t by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Impact of $400 bil Russia-China oil-linked gas supply deal on China: After over a decade of prolonged talks, Russia and China have finally inked a historic gas deal, with Gazprom supplying 38 bcm/year of gas to CNPC for 30 years from 2018. Mriganka Jaipuriyar, senior editor for Platts Oilgram News and Song Yen Ling, Platts by Commodities Focus
5 min listen
US Northeast natural gas markets, battered by winter, brace for another storm: Platts US natural gas editors Rodney White, Tiffany Hamilton, Jessica Marron, and Bill Holland discuss how the tired US Northeast gas markets are trying to look past another upcoming winter storm and prepare for the spring and summer. We welcome any feed by Commodities Focus
7 min listen
Interview: Stephen Bowers, Evonik, on the outlook for European crude C4 market (part 2) by Commodities Focus
11 min listen
Severe winter weather draws down US coal stocks: Platts editors Andrew Moore and Valarie Jackson discuss the impact of the recent cold weather on US coal stockpiles and the effect of natural gas price volatility on coal as the dominant fuel for electricity generation. We welcome any feedback or suggest by Commodities Focus
5 min listen
What are the long term prospects for gas globally?: Platts' William Powell, managing editor for International Gas Report, recently attended the Gastech conference in South Korea, focusing on the main themes discussed, including the prospects for gas prices globally and how, if at all, developments in Ukrai by Commodities Focus
8 min listen
Haynesville Shale suffers as US gas production shifts: Gas Daily editor Jim Magill explains how the Haynesville Shale, once a hot property for natural gas drilling in the US, has fallen out of favor as producers turn their attention elsewhere. Liquids-rich and oil-rich plays are shifting rig counts out of the by Commodities Focus
4 min listen
US natural gas prices up as weatherman blows hot and cold: Warm weather out West and continued below-average temperatures in Chicago and the East bolstered US natural gas prices as the May futures contract held its own to roll off the board at $4.79/MMBtu. Gas Daily editors Rodney White, Chris Tremulis, TL Hamilt by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
DOE pursues production R&D in 'ferociously difficult' budget environment: official: Platts web editor Elizabeth Bassett spoke with Christopher Smith, principal deputy assistant secretary for fossil energy with the Department of Energy, at the Offshore Technology Conference. Smith was part of a panel on the second day of the conference, a by Commodities Focus
5 min listen
Italian gas storage system inches towards further liberalization: Beatrice Bedeschi, associate editor for European gas and power, examines a recent reform of gas storage rules in Italy that introduces auctions to allocate capacity, against the backdrop of narrowing summer-winter spreads and an uncertain outlook as the U by Commodities Focus
8 min listen
Prices pressured upward for US ethylene, downstream markets: US spot ethylene assessments rose to their highest levels in more than a year earlier in the week, and the tightness in the polyethylene export market hearkens back to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. US petrochemical editors Chris Ferrell and Pavel Pa by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Spotlight: Snappy summer likely for US natural gas markets: Platts associate editor Patrick Badgley takes another look at what's ahead for US natural gas markets this summer, including for flows and storage, and answers questions submitted by participants in the March 18 "Cruel Summer?" webinar. Will gas drawdowns by Commodities Focus
8 min listen
Asian natural rubber prices fall 30% on year on glut in Chinese supply: Anna Ward, Platts associate petrochemical editor discusses the sharp fall in Asian natural rubber prices in the first quarter compared to Q1 2013. Why are prices on a downward trend and what is the market outlook going forward? We welcome any feedback or by Commodities Focus
6 min listen
Interview: UK wholesale power market reform, the capacity mechanism and market design: Ahead of Platts' European Power Summit in Berlin on 28-29 April, 2014, Henry Edwardes-Evans spoke to Angela Knight, Chief Executive of trade association Energy UK, about regulator Ofgem's wholesale power market reforms, the government's proposed capacity by Commodities Focus
15 min listen

More Episodes from Commodities Focus

Skip carousel

Amid ambitious expansion plans, India's steel production may face headwinds for raw material supply: The expansion in the Indian steel manufacturing capacity comes at an opportune moment for the industry as the country has witnessed massive infrastructure projects like construction of national highways over the past few years. Now, with the general... by Commodities Focus
22 min listen
Indonesia’s rice import surge, ban on Indian exports: what lies ahead for rice markets?: The rice markets in Asia have seen new trends emerging with Indonesia importing rice, and India putting restrictions on their rice exports. Ripple effects have been felt in other major growing rice growing countries such as Pakistan and Thailand. In... by Commodities Focus
17 min listen
Does the UK need the North Sea for its energy future?: As a UK general election looms, energy security and the transition to net-zero are high on the agenda. In this episode of the Commodities Focus podcast, our experts sift through the policy options, from windfall taxes to licensing bans, and discuss... by Commodities Focus
21 min listen
How are gas operators navigating the difficult gas environment in 2024?: Pressured by sub-$2/MMBtu prices, many US producers have decided to cut spending on gas-directed drilling and completion activity and to scale back production in 2024. But there are signs of price improvement along the futures curve in late 2024 and... by Commodities Focus
13 min listen
Red Sea crisis forces carriers and shippers to rethink strategies as cost of operation rises: Red sea crisis has forced carriers and shippers alike to adjust strategies. Container freight rates not only reached yearly high after receding throughout 2023 but carriers also seized a profit making opportunity they were looking for after the post... by Commodities Focus
27 min listen
Lithium producers pump brakes on North American projects amid low prices: Lithium producers are pushing timelines out for project development in North America as global lithium prices sit near a three-year low after plunging from record levels in 2022. The change in sentiment has cooled off a red-hot market and cast doubt... by Commodities Focus
26 min listen
Lower prices and uncertain demand: navigating choppy waves of wheat markets in 2024: Wheat prices have been on a largely downward trend since the start of 2024 despite lower production in key exporters, Canada and Australia, and continued logistics concerns due to the wars in the Black Sea and the Red Sea. Does this imply the weight... by Commodities Focus
16 min listen
Supply disruptions drive copper TC to three-year low; smelters may cut production: The Asian copper market saw CIF China copper concentrate TC/RC fall by 65% in just three months’ time, while smelters were still not able to find enough feedstocks to meet their production needs. As copper concentrate market changed from surplus to... by Commodities Focus
17 min listen
US power markets weather winter storms with more success: Following on from heavy winter storms in recent years that disrupted power supply across US regions, power markets managed a mid-January 2024 winter storm with elevated prices and a few demand records, but no large-scale power outages.... by Commodities Focus
14 min listen
Brazil’s emergence as a dominant agriculture exporter: Over the past 20 years, Brazil’s growth in the production of feedstuffs like soybeans and corn has been remarkable. In the process, it has become a powerhouse exporter. To accomplish this, it took the convergence of Brazil modernizing its... by Commodities Focus
18 min listen
Asian aluminum, alumina markets mixed on demand expectations, cost pressures: Asian aluminum markets continue to see lackluster demand and ample stocks pressuring premiums, though the sporadic reopening of the Chinese import arbitrage window is providing support across the region. Further upstream in the alumina markets,... by Commodities Focus
20 min listen
Confidence returns to copper markets for now, outlook for 2024 still uncertain: Chinese copper markets are showing signs of recovering from the slump that hit the industry in the second quarter pf this year. The clean concentrate spot TCs are declining on increased demand for cargoes and cathode import interest are improving on... by Commodities Focus
19 min listen
Winter is coming, with little gas flowing from Russia...can the US meet Europe’s demand?: With bearish fundamentals characterizing the global LNG market, what role will US exporters play for Europe this winter? Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 and subsequent decoupling between LNG and natural gas in Europe, the US... by Commodities Focus
14 min listen
Buyers’ choice: Global oversupply of single-use plastics makes recycling uneconomical: High density polyethylene product consumption and market behavior are key indicators for consumer spending. The US and major export outlet Asia are climbing out of a price slump created by HDPE oversupply, attractive cost margins and slow-to-recover... by Commodities Focus
12 min listen
El Niño spells dire straits for shippers at Panama Canal: Draft reduction at the Neopanamax locks and limitations on daily transits at the Panamax lock system have resulted in longer wait times to transit the Panama Canal. Shipowners have been raising freight costs to seek reimbursement for higher transit... by Commodities Focus
20 min listen
Summer slump: Global recycled polymer markets wait for western markets to find solid footing: A sluggish start to the peak summer demand season has disrupted the global recycled PET markets, with subpar demand from beverage bottling in North America, squeezed margins, stiff competition from virgin resin and pessimism running rampant. ... by Commodities Focus
14 min listen
Narrow margins are back for US gas, but will producers slow output?: US Henry Hub natural gas prices have averaged just $2.43/MMBtu this year, pushing many producers close to, or even below, their breakeven price. Mild weather and weak gas demand this past winter were largely to blame, triggering a selloff that dropped... by Commodities Focus
15 min listen
How have early drought conditions impacted the US harvest?: It's been a rough couple of years for US corn and soybeans. 2022 brought drought, record-low Mississippi River water levels, and ultimately sky-high grains and oilseeds prices. The 2023 planting season was initially met with dry weather, causing... by Commodities Focus
24 min listen
Is a nickel still worth a dime? Unpacking nickel pricing mechanisms, a year on: A year after a historic short squeeze sent LME nickel metal prices soaring above $100,000/mt, industry players remain divided over their pricing preferences in the nickel market with some still referencing the LME, while Chinese market participants... by Commodities Focus
19 min listen
It's a bumpy road ahead for North American electric reliability amid energy transition: Up to two-thirds of North America is at an elevated risk of electricity shortfalls this summer in extreme conditions with a high load and high outages, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. Conventional plants are retiring... by Commodities Focus
24 min listen
The Waiting is the Hardest Part: Global polymer markets awaiting rebound in domestic China demand: China was among the last to lift COVID restrictions at the close of 2022, but its polymer exports remain elevated amid continued sluggish domestic demand, creating more global competition for limited pockets of demand. India has been a bright spot in... by Commodities Focus
15 min listen
Australian wheat a likely beacon of hope amid Black Sea uncertainty: Australia, one of the world's leading wheat exporters, has produced three bumper wheat harvests in a row, and with the prospect of an extension of the Black Sea grain corridor deal fading by the day, the country is emerging as a reliable wheat... by Commodities Focus
19 min listen
India's energy options and the roadmap ahead: From a dramatic shift in oil trade flows to a series of clean fuel policy reforms, India's energy sector has been in the spotlight recently. With the country poised for massive growth in energy consumption, lawmakers and corporates are preparing... by Commodities Focus
19 min listen
Everything, everywhere, all at once: US power market challenges post-IRA: The issues impacting US power markets seem to be widespread and far-reaching lately. Since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed in August, it’s really taken over discussions at energy conferences due to its far-reaching impacts. But US power... by Commodities Focus
17 min listen
Food vs fuel security - is agricultural gene editing the solution? by Commodities Focus
18 min listen
For global petrochemicals, what went up is coming down…down…: The global petrochemical industry is grappling with the aftermath of COVID-fueled demand. The supply squeeze in 2020 and 2021 that led to soaring prices has been doused by economic uncertainty and oversupply, leaving producers with hard decisions... by Commodities Focus
19 min listen
Algorithmic trading and power markets: challenges and opportunities in Europe's energy crisis: Algorithmic trading is increasingly a mainstay of European electricity and natural gas trade as major players seek to stay on top of fast-moving, volatile markets. So-called algos, which make hundreds if not thousands of trades a day, are widely used... by Commodities Focus
24 min listen
Global oil and gas markets dramatically transformed by a year of conflict in Ukraine: triggered major supply risks and wide-ranging sanctions that have dramatically changed global oil and gas markets. In a year of price volatility, supply concerns and increasingly harsh sanctions, Russia has accelerated its pivot to Asian markets. As... by Commodities Focus
24 min listen
The return of Freeport LNG: The Freeport LNG terminal in Texas started exporting LNG cargoes in mid-February for the first time since a fire and explosion in June 2022 forced a shutdown of the facility, marking a milestone in the history of US LNG. In the global LNG market, the... by Commodities Focus
13 min listen
Have LNG and gas markets returned to normality in 2023?: Prices are closer to lower, volatility has reduced and inter-product price spreads have come in, so are we seeing gas and LNG markets revert to normality? What are the factors that have calmed markets, and is this new-found tranquillity likely to be... by Commodities Focus
23 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

European gasoline weakens as US arbitrage opportunities shrink: Sophie Byron, Platts light ends team leader, and Francesco Di Salvo, Platts EMEA gasoline editor, discuss recent weakening in the European physical and paper gasoline markets, as weaker arbitrage opportunities to the US Atlantic Coast failed to absorb len by Oil Markets
4 min listen
Fertilizer Matters: Market spotlight - US and Brazil, Nov 2023: Hear Argus’ analysis of fertilizer market developments in the US and Brazil, direct from our teams based in the Argus Houston and Sao Paulo offices. Join Mike Nash, Senior Editor, Jasmine Davis, Editor - Argus North American Fertilizer and Flavia Boh... by Argus Media
24 min listen
Impact of higher US benzene prices felt in downstream markets: Production hiccups in the US benzene market are pushing prices higher, which is causing ripples in downstream markets. Platts petrochemical editors Colleen Barry-Goodman, John Calton and Jeremy Rakes discuss how the markets have moved, including near-reco by Commodities Focus
4 min listen
Russian oil exports tumble ahead of 2015 tax changes: Benno Spencer, senior managing editor, Europe and Africa oil, Elza Turner, senior editor for Russian crude and products, and Paula VanLaningham, editor for Mediterranean and Urals crude, discuss the upcoming changes to the Russian oil export tax scheme an by Oil Markets
9 min listen
Mailbag time: We answer your burning questions about US crude oil: Platts senior editors Herman Wang and Brian Scheid answer US crude policy questions submitted from listeners. Will the first Alaskan crude export in a decade push a change in US export policy? What’s the deal with the Jones Act and who’s pushing for a by Capitol Crude: The US Energy Policy Podcast
7 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

US benzene price surge has ripple affect

US benzene price surge has ripple affect

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Commodities Focus

Related podcast episodes