Interview: UK offshore wind – industry calls for volume and certainty
Platts interviews Dr Gordon Edge, RenewableUK, on the challenge of maintaining UK offshore wind cost reductions at a time of uncertain funding and auction schedules.
View ArticleBrazilian drivers benefit from cheap hydrous ethanol
Brazil's total hydrous ethanol consumption jumped 48% from April through June, and the high demand could last into the fall, as Platts analysts explain.
View ArticleEverything's bigger in Texas: ERCOT breaks power record after power record
There's more demand than ever for electric power straining the Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid, and other US power markets are also seeing shifts.
View ArticleUkraine takes on the offshore grains loophole
Platts editors examine Ukraine's tax authorities having recently seized a number of grains shipments, claiming that fraud and tax evasion are taking place in the industry.
View ArticleTumbling toluene, MX prices in US speak to lower gasoline, downstream demand
Over the past month, US toluene and mixed xylene prices have both fallen more than 20% as gasoline blending demand has fallen.
View ArticleChinese ethanol market sees imports surge
Platts editors look at the reasons behind China's strong import demand for industrial-grade ethanol and the impact of the recent yuan devaluations on the ethanol market.
View ArticleSlowing summer storage injections set stage for US gas markets this winter
The hot weather across parts of the US this summer has slowed natural gas storage injections and quieted forwards and spot markets, except for the Northeast.
View ArticleCan CCS technology help US coal in the era of the Clean Power Plan?
The Clean Power Plan has many US coal producers unnerved and power generators considering if it's worth making coal-fired generation more compliant with stricter carbon emissions standards.
View ArticleSellers unshaken as EU sugar export quota deadline looms
With less than five weeks to go until the end of the 2014-15 sugar campaign in Europe, Platts sugar editors take a closer look at the trading environment in the EU 45 ICUMSA Containers market.
View ArticleCIF ARA year-ahead thermal coal swaps slip to record lows
Platts thermal coal editors examine the factors pressuring CIF ARA paper prices and what has caused the curve to move into backwardation.
View ArticleWeaker Asian currencies, regional economies seen to limit polymer price rebound
With various macroeconomic issues hounding Asia, trade sources say rebound in polymer prices may be limited in the remaining months of 2015.
View ArticleDrastic shift seen in Asia-Pacific LNG supply-demand balance
Platts LNG editor Abache Abreu looks at the region's market supply-demand balance as buyers start looking to sell cargoes.
View ArticleUS biodiesel, ethanol likely to see demand drop as seasons shift
A waning driving season, dropping corn prices, and falling crude prices have all affected US ethanol and biodiesel recently; what could impact them in the near future?
View ArticlePressure from all sides squeezes global petcoke markets
Extreme low demand is pulling down petcoke prices worldwide, with US refineries struggling of unload the product and buyers in India and Turkey turning to coal instead of choosing petcoke.
View ArticleUS natural gas industry tries to look to prices, demand beyond shoulder season
Will autumn continue the trend of strong natural gas burn in the power sector but so much gas supply across the US that it weighs on prices?
View ArticleProspects for Kazakhstan's oil sector in low price environment
Platts editors discuss the Kazakh oil sector, focusing on the impact of low global oil prices, cooperation with Chinese companies and the possible revival of swap deals with Iran.
View ArticleKey themes from the Q3 Platts Global Polyolefin Outlook
Platts looks at key themes from the Q3 update of the Global Polyolefins Outlook report, including the impact of economic uncertainty in China on polyethylene demand.
View ArticleAfter US MTBE prices hit nine-month lows, Q4 demand could provide stability
Production costs for MTBE frequently rise in the fourth quarter as butane demand rises for winter, heating and fuel use, and MTBE prices also dip in Q4 as gasoline prices fall.
View ArticleRussia’s battle for oil taxes as budget earnings drop on low oil prices
Platts Moscow-based editors discuss planned changes to the Russian oil taxation in 2016, as well as the move’s potential impact on the national oil production.
View ArticleInterview: GPCA's Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun on challenges in petrochemical...
GPCA secretary-general Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun talks to Platts on how Gulf Coast country members of the GPCA are facing the challenges in the petrochemicals markets.
View ArticleAustralian wheat prices eroding on seasonal factors
In the last couple of years, Australian wheat prices were seen declining over the December-March period. Platts editors analyze how seasonal factors are affecting prices this time around.
View ArticleEU ethanol: T2 ethanol sustained prices go against seasonal tradition
The shortness of ethanol supply in Europe across much of 2015 has seen prices well supported throughout the summer and now into the winter.
View ArticleOil-indexation of natural gas prices on its way out from the European markets
Examining the history of oil-indexation of natural gas, factors behind the region's increasing preference to hub-pricing, and how new LNG supply is likely to further displace oil-indexed gas.
View ArticleEU bets on new US LNG imports to take on Russia's gas dominance
Europe is facing a new conflict: Platts editors discuss a potential gas price war between US LNG and Russian pipeline gas.
View ArticleKey themes from the Q4 Platts Global Polyolefin Outlook
Platts petrochemicals team discusses the Q4 update of the Global Polyolefins Outlook, including expectations for polyethylene and polypropylene supply and demand balances in 2016.
View ArticleStephen Burns, chairman, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Stephen Burns, chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, discussed the future of US nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima I nuclear accident.
View ArticleBlack Sea Grains: Physical grains market shaken by plunge in crude oil prices
Platts editors assess the knock on effect of the crude price drop on several factors within the Black Sea grains market and the subsequent impact on global grains prices.
View ArticleBrazil's currency devaluation could send more sugar abroad
Hydrous ethanol and the devaluation of the Brazilian real were main drivers in markets for the 2015/2016 sugarcane crop, but changes started then could prompt new trends in 2016 and beyond.
View ArticleLNG to the rescue - but does the EU need saving?
Platts editors discuss the European Commission's new EU gas supply security package in the light of flat gas demand, well supplied markets and continued tense relations with Russia.
View ArticleWhat does China's 'painful adjustment' mean to commodities?
Platts editors and S&P's chief economist examine China's latest five-year plan and its potential impact on the economic giant's growth before zooming in on commodity markets.
View ArticleThe EU's nuclear option: white elephant or essential low carbon generation?
With far-reaching changes in the EU power market design looming, and European baseload power prices heading for new lows, does nuclear have a long-term future in the EU's energy mix?
View ArticleCorn markets in the Americas brace for more product
The USDA's recent corn planting intention report, as well as higher corn production forecasts from Argentina and Brazil, are causing markets to adjust to higher expected volumes this year.
View ArticleSpring awakening for dry bulk Supramaxes in Atlantic
Following an exceptionally bearish winter, freight rates in the dry bulk Atlantic Handysize and Supramax market have seen a rebound in recent weeks, but what hurdles might still lie ahead?
View ArticleBrazil sugar output expected to increase in 2016/2017 season
Platts editors discuss the global sugar deficit that has supported world sugar prices and how Brazil's sugar production for 2016/17 is likely to increase.
View ArticleExcess supply weighs on US aromatics prices, markets hope for more demand
US benzene, toluene and mixed xylene prices have been pressured by excess supply, including benzene imports from Asia at the beginning of the year.
View ArticleUS RFS proposal jolts RINs market as physical biofuels markets more muted
RINs markets had the largest day-on-day change in several years after the US Environmental Protection Agency announced proposed RFS mandates on May 18.
View ArticleT2 ethanol market suffers uncertain supply on closures, trial runs
With European ethanol experiencing a turbulent supply environment, we discuss the implications of plant closures and the upcoming trial-run of the UK's second largest plant on the market.
View ArticleWhat lies ahead for European biofuels in a post-2020 world?
With EU legislation laying out requirements for renewable energy in road transport up until 2020, we consider expectations for a post-2020 world and how first generation biofuels might stand up.
View ArticleEU court ruling on ethanol duties creates question for both US, European markets
Following The EU's decision to invalidate a country-wide antidumping duty for ethanol imports from the US, we discuss what the ruling, how the markets are reacting, and what could happen in the near...
View ArticleWhy are UK power prices higher than the rest of Europe?
As the UK votes on whether to leave the EU, we ask if UK or EU policies are more important for UK power prices.
View ArticleKey themes from the Q2 Platts Global Polyolefin Outlook
Our analysts discuss the demand/supply fundamentals of polypropylene, the likelihood of a bullish supply case for PP, and what the key demand centers for the polyolefin will be.
View ArticleIneos director Tom Crotty on the group's petrochemical operations post-Brexit
Listen to Ineos director Tom Crotty discuss the state of the group's UK operations at present and going forwards in the aftermath of Brexit.
View ArticleMozambican thermal coal heads to Europe
Jacqueline Holman and Cameron Carswell discuss European utilities importing high ash thermal coal from Mozambique and whether demand is likely to rise in the coming months.
View ArticleUS corn prices driven by weather, exports up to compensate for Brazil
Sophie Bryon and Sergio Alvarado are back from the Global Grains North Americas conference and have an update on the 2016/2017 season.
View ArticleEU gears up to drive oil out of transport
With the EU looking to cut its transport emissions and high oil import dependency, we discuss whether biofuels or renewable electricity could really displace oil on a large scale.
View ArticleTurkey surprises market with $15/mt thermal coal import duty
Jacqueline Holman and Cameron Carswell discuss the surprise announcement from the Turkish government to levy a $15/mt tax on imported thermal coal for power generation.
View ArticleBearish fundamentals facing the European chemical sector in H2 2016
Interview with Laura Lopez, analyst at Germany's Baader Bank on European chemical utilizations rates and the potential bearish fundamentals for H2 2016.
View ArticleEurope's 'bright' ethane future
Evergas CEO, Steffen Jacobsen, talks about the future of transatlantic ethane trade and how Evergas and Ineos have pioneered it.
View ArticleImproving the competitiveness of European petrochemicals: room for growth?
Dorothee Arns, executive director of Petrochemicals Europe, Cefic petrochemicals programme, talks about how low oil prices have improved the competitiveness of European petchem producers.
View ArticleAustralia’s record wheat harvest threatened by rain and frost
Platts editors give a market frontline view on how rains and frost are threatening Australia's monster wheat harvest, what this could mean for exports, and how prices are reacting.
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