The continuation of high crude oil values and subsequent firm Eurobob gasoline levels has kept European spot toluene prices at the high $600s/tonne this week, although the market has slowed down ahead of the Christmas break. SEE MORE Negotiations began this week in the European acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) market with players expecting price hikes, primarily due to swelling raw material costs for the month, sources said on Friday. SEE MORE Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) to handle suspected financial violations by the Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) prior to the company’s intended initial public offering. SEE MORE The growth in the EU's chemical industry output is expected to reach 3% for 2017, but drop to 2% in 2018, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) said in a statement Thursday. SEE MORE China’s second-largest copper smelter said it began halting capacity last week at its main production hub in the city of Tongling after the local government ordered the curbs as part of a national plan to ease pollution over the winter months. SEE MORE