In 2018, lead took on much of the same calamity that its fellow base metals endured in the face of dismal investor sentiment caused by the US-China trade war. SEE MORE The lead price performed well for much of 2017, hitting a six-year high. However, despite positive predictions it’s put on an underwhelming performance in 2018. SEE MORE China’s spot polyethylene (PE) prices recently rebounded in response to the government’s economic stimulus and tighter supply due to unexpected plant turnarounds, but the market may turn stable to soft ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays. SEE MORE More U.S. coal-fired power plants were shut in President Donald Trump’s first two years than were retired in the whole of Barack Obama’s first term, despite the Republican’s efforts to prop up the industry to keep a campaign promise to coal-mining states. SEE MORE China plans to set a lower economic growth target of 6-6.5 percent in 2019 compared with last year’s target of “around” 6.5 percent, policy sources told Reuters, as Beijing gears up to cope with higher U.S. tariffs and weakening domestic demand. SEE MORE