European polymer prices rose over the week to 15th October. There were increases of between 10 and 30 EUR per tonne reported in the prices of PVC, ABS and Polystyrene. In the UK, prices fell across some grades as the Pound gained value against the Euro.   Asian polymers rose sharply with increases of between […]

Plans to turn the Flotta Oil Terminal in Orkney, Scotland into one of the world’s first large-scale green hydrogen plants have been unveiled.   French oil giant Total Energies is part of a consortium proposing to use offshore wind power to produce hydrogen on an industrial scale at the facility.   Terminal operator Repsol Sinopec […]

The US added a disappointing 194,000 jobs in September, as the Delta variant of coronavirus continued to drag on the economy, official figures show.   The unemployment rate fell from 5.2% in August to 4.8%.   There were notable job gains in hospitality, retail and transportation, while employment in education declined, the US Bureau of […]

The price of coal used in China’s power plants has surged to a new record high as another of the country’s key mining regions is hit by flooding.   Heavy rains hit Shanxi in recent days, the country’s biggest coal producing province, after record floods struck the mining region of Henan in July.   Thermal […]

European polymer prices were relatively unchanged over the week to 8th October. There was an increase of 10 EUR per tonne reported in the price of PVC. In the UK, prices fell across most grades as the Pound gained value against the Euro.   Asian polymers rose with increases of between 5 and 50 USD […]

The US Senate has voted to temporarily raise the nation’s debt limit, avoiding a historic default that experts say would have devastated the economy.   Senators agreed to increase the limit by $480bn (£352bn), which will cover the US until early December.   The bill was approved in a 50-48 vote, following weeks of partisan […]

UK wholesale gas prices hit a record high before falling after Russia said it was boosting supplies to Europe.   Russia President Vladimir Putin appeared to calm the market after gas prices had risen by 37% in 24 hours to trade at 400p per therm on Wednesday.   UK gas was 60p per therm at […]

Scientists are warning politicians immersed in climate change policy not to forget that the world is also in the midst of a plastic waste crisis.   They fear that so much energy is being expended on emissions policy that tackling plastic pollution will be sidelined.   A paper from the Zoological Society of London and […]

European polymer prices were mixed over the week to 1st October. There were reductions of between 25 and 30 EUR per tonne reported in the prices of HDPE, LDPE and LLDPE. There was an increase of 20 EUR per tonne noted in the price of PET. In the UK, prices rose across some grades as […]

A clean energy investment fund run by former US vice-president, Al Gore, has bought a 13% stake in British energy company Octopus in a deal worth £438m.   It means the supplier is now valued at £3.36bn, which is more than the owner of British Gas, Centrica, at £3.28bn.   The agreement comes after several […]