Tracking a weak global trend, copper prices fell marginally by 0.10% to Rs 401.25 per kg in futures trade today as speculators offloaded their positions.

ASIAN higher cost polyvinyl chloride (PVC) producers are facing the twin squeeze of increased electricity costs and very competitive exports from the US, according to an industry source the blog met with in Taipei, ahead of tomorrow and Friday's 2013 Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC).

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Asia acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) prices trended higher in the first half of May gaining up to $50/tonne (€39/tonne) to the relief of suppliers though demand remains weak amid slow end-user orders, market participants said on Thursday.

Iron ore prices will remain strong into 2014 on sustained demand in China, the largest producer of steel, and as an increase in global supply takes longer than expected, according to Morgan Stanley.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has agreed in principle to the construction of a huge refinery and petrochemical complex by Thailand's PTT in the central Vietnamese province of Binh Dinh, a senior regional politician said Sunday.

Rubber fell from a two-month high, snapping a five-day winning streak, as a rebound in Japan’s currency against the dollar cut the appeal of yen-based futures.

Friday provided a good test of the blog's analysis that Japan's aggressive policy of devaluing the yen could result in major downward pressure on crude oil prices:

LONDON (ICIS)--The May European paraxylene (PX) contract has been fully confirmed at €1,120/tonne ($1,455/tonne), a rollover from the previous month, as the initial settlement received further support from players on Monday.