






By Polymers (ScrapMonster Contributor)
August 19, 2016 01:31:48 AM
SEATTLE (polymers.in): 
 Crude oil prices gain on Tuesday
- US crude 
stockpile fell by 1.007 million bbl for the week ended August 21.
- US dollar 
index dropped to a two-month low on Tuesday to 94.75, against the other major 
currencies.
- WTI for September delivery rose by 1.84% to settle at USD 
46.58/bbl.
- Dated Brent for October settlement gained by 1.82% to end at USD 
49.23/nnl.
Here’s Who’s Buying Up U.S. 
Oil
- More than 87 million bbl of crude and condensate have been 
shipped to 17 countries in the first half of 2016.
- Other buyers include the 
UK, Japan and even the Marshall Islands. This is according to US Census Bureau 
data. 
U.S. Stocks Fall With Bonds on Hawkish 
Fed Comments; Oil Climbs
- US stocks fell with treasuries, while the 
dollar pared its decline.
- The S&P 500 fell 0.6% to 2,178.15.
- The 
Stoxx Europe 600 Index dropped 0.8% as gains in the EURO weighed on 
exporters.
Asia ethylene margins climb on higher 
spot prices
- Margins for naphtha-based ethylene in NEA rose by 6.0% 
to USD 836/MT, while margins for LPG-based ethylene rose by 11% to USD 
900/MT.
- Spot prices in the region were up USD 57/MT.
- Feedstock costs 
for ethylene production moved up by USD 53/MT for naphtha-based product.
- In 
SEA, naphtha-based ethylene margins rose by 3.7% to USD 749/MT, while LPG-based 
ethylene margins climbed 10% to USD 786/MT.
Polymers 
Demand
Stocks Do Nothing After Fed Minutes: Here’s What You 
Need to Know
- The Fed is split over whether to raise interest rates 
soon.
- On Monday, Obamacare said it was leaving 70% of the counties in which 
it provided services through the Affordable Care Act’s public healthcare 
exchanges.
- Target adjusted earning per share of USD 1.23 on revenue of USD 
16.19 billion.
- Lowe’s sales open for more than one year rose 2%. 
Polymers 
Supply
Taiwan's Formosa HDPE unit to shut temporarily end 
Aug on ethylene shortage
- Taiwan’s Formosa Petrochemical Corp’s 
320,000 MT/year HDPE unit will shut for a few days at the end of August due to 
ethylene shortage while its No. 2 steam cracker goes through maintenance from 29 
July to 22 September.
Russia’s HDPE January-July output up 11% 
year on year
- Production of HDPE in Russia exceeded 567,500 MT in 
the first seven months of 2016, up 11% year on year.
- July HDPE production 
in Russia exceeded 74,600 MT.
Russia's PP production flat in 
January-July
- Russia’s overall production of PP remained flat 
totalling 772,000 MT.  
Taiyo Vinyl to shut Chiba PVC 
plant
- Taiyo Vinyl is likely to shut its PVC plant for a 
maintenance turnaround.
- The plant is planned to be shut on 17 August and 
will remain shut for four weeks. 
Courtesy: www.polymers.io
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