Asia’s butadiene (BD) players are locked in a stand-off amid a widening gap in buying and selling ideas, with sellers considering moving more cargoes to the US market. SEE MORE The base metals are firmer this morning, Friday February 24, with metals prices on the London Metal Exchange up an average of 1.1%, led by a 1.5% gain in nickel prices, while copper is up 0.5% at $5,898 per tonne and aluminium is up the least with a 0.2% rise. SEE MORE The global demand for emulsion polymers was valued at US$31.5 bln in 2014, and is expected to generate revenue of US$43 bln by end of 2020, growing at a CAGR of around 6% between 2015 and 2020, as per Zion Research. In terms of volume, SEE MORE China's ethanol imports in January plunged 98% month on month to a three-month low of 2,415 cu m, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on February 25. SEE MORE Oil prices rose on Monday, with the market set to rise for five of seven sessions as a global supply glut appears to ease, but rising U.S. production limited gains. SEE MORE