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News•Mar 2, 2026
Chinese Domestic Sulphur Prices Surge on Iran Crisis
Chinese domestic sulphur prices jumped to 4,250 yuan per tonne, about $531, marking a roughly 5% increase from late February levels. The rise follows heightened US‑Iran tensions, prompting sellers to lift offers to 4,300 yuan/t in both paper and spot markets. While some buyers remain cautious, waiting for clearer supply signals, the market is watching for potential disruptions to Middle‑East shipments. China, the world’s biggest sulphur importer, sourced nearly 40% of its 9.6 million tonnes in 2025 from the Gulf region.
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Mar 2, 2026
India's LNG Tankers Divert Away From Strait of Hormuz
Escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz forced Indian LNG carriers to reroute, leaving only one of Petronet's three captive tankers able to unload at the Dahej terminal. The 138,000 m³ Disha is stalled at Ras Laffan, while Aseem diverted away...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Mar 1, 2026
Middle East Conflict Threatens UAE Polymer Export Port
The escalating Middle East conflict sparked a fire at Jabel Ali port, the UAE hub that moves roughly 65 % of GCC polymer exports and 33 % of regional petrochemical cargo. The blaze, caused by debris from an aerial interception, resulted in no...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Mar 1, 2026
Skuld P&I Cancels War Risk Cover in Mideast Gulf
Skuld P&I announced the cancellation of its war‑risk coverage for vessels operating in the Middle East Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, citing a deteriorating geopolitical climate after US and Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions. The notice...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Mar 1, 2026
UAE Fujairah Bunker Market Braced for Impact
Bunker traders in Fujairah, the Middle East’s largest marine fuels hub, are preparing for a sharp decline in demand after heightened Gulf tensions and unverified warnings of a Strait of Hormuz closure. Recent missile strikes near Fujairah and Jebel Ali have...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Mar 1, 2026
Qatar March Sulphur Price Announcement Postponed
State‑owned QatarEnergy Marketing postponed its March Qatar Sulphur Price (QSP) announcement to 4 March, citing recent geopolitical developments. February’s QSP was set at $520 per tonne FOB, a modest $3 increase from January. The delay follows the US‑Israeli strike on Iran,...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 28, 2026
Egypt Urea Sold Higher After US, Israel Attack on Iran
Egyptian fertilizer producers Mopco and Alexfert each sold 6,000 t of granular urea for March loading, pricing the cargoes at $505/t and $495/t FOB respectively. The transactions reflect a price jump after the United States launched major combat operations in Iran...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 27, 2026
US rPET Demand Under Sustained Pressure: PRC
US recycled PET (rPET) demand remains weak, prompting concerns at the Plastics Recycling Conference. The recent shutdown of Evergreen Recycling’s Ohio and New York plants cuts domestic processing capacity by roughly 16%, tightening an already strained market. Low‑priced imports and abundant...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 27, 2026
UK HRC Discount to North EU Expands
UK hot‑rolled coil (HRC) prices are trading at an average €62 per tonne discount to north‑European benchmarks after Tata Steel UK closed its last blast furnace in September 2024. Imports have surged from 770,000 t in 2023 to 1.4 million t in 2025,...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 27, 2026
S Korea’s Hanwha to Buy LNG From Venture Global
South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace has signed a sales and purchase agreement to buy 1.5 million tonnes per year of liquefied natural gas from U.S. exporter Venture Global, with deliveries slated to start in 2030 and run for 20 years. The deal...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 26, 2026
Thailand’s Gulf Energy Seeks More April LNG
Thai private‑sector importer Gulf Energy announced a new tender for two additional April LNG cargoes, targeting delivery windows of 22‑23 April and 25‑26 April. The offers are to be priced against the northeast Asian spot LNG index, with the tender closing on...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 26, 2026
S Korea's SK Hynix Invests $15bn in Semiconductor Plant
SK Hynix announced an additional 21.6 trillion won ($15 bn) investment to expand its first semiconductor fab in Yongin, raising the total spend to 31 trillion won. The funding, slated for March 2026‑December 2030, will add five clean rooms, bringing the site to six and...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 25, 2026
New 10pc US Tariff Keeps Aromatics Arbs Shut
The United States imposed a new 10% tariff on imports of benzene, toluene and mixed xylenes (BTX), effectively closing paper arbitrage opportunities despite sizable price premiums over South Korean supplies. With freight costs around $72 per tonne, the tariff neutralises...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 25, 2026
EU Consults on State Aid, Including for Hydrogen, CCS
The European Commission is consulting on revised state‑aid rules that will replace the current framework before it expires on 31 December 2026. The proposal, embedded in the General Block Exemption Regulation, streamlines approvals and exempts climate‑related aid under €30 million per firm or...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
News•Feb 25, 2026
Venezuela's US Crude Flows Far Shy of Trump's Claims
President Donald Trump claimed the United States received over 80 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, a figure far exceeding reality. Vortexa ship‑tracking data shows U.S. imports of Venezuelan oil totalled about 17.7 million barrels, roughly 300,000 barrels per day, in January and...
By Argus Media – News & analysis
Deals•Feb 20, 2026
VAROPreem to Acquire Sunpine, Sweden’s Tall Oil Refiner
VAROPreem announced its intention to acquire Sunpine, a Swedish tall oil refining company. The acquisition aims to expand VAROPreem’s presence in the renewable oil market. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Argus Media – News & analysis