Market Flash

On April 16, 2025, Turkey's General Directorate of Food Safety and Control issued Notice No. 637, proposing new standards for sampling and analysis methods to control perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) levels in food.

BASF recently signed a long-term supply agreement with environmental technology company Braven Environmental to use PyChem® recycled raw material produced by its patented pyrolysis technology, to gradually replace fossil raw materials

• BASF
• Braven Environment

On April 15, Hyundai Motor Group announced at the Global Hydrogen Summit in Jakarta that it will build Southeast Asia's first waste-to-hydrogen (W2H) ecosystem in West Java, Indonesia.

• Hyundai Motor

Global pharmaceutical companies could face billions in extra costs if proposed U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports are enacted this year.

President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aiming to lower U.S. prescription drug prices could significantly benefit India’s pharmaceutical sector.

In a critical move just weeks before Thailand’s durian harvest peaks, China has officially approved 10 Thai laboratories to conduct residue testing for Alkaline Yellow and Cadmium in fruits bound for the Chinese market.

Alaska’s once-thriving seafood exports to China have taken a devastating hit, with exports plunging from $1 billion in 2017 to just $450 million by 2020—a 55% drop amid intensifying U.S.-China trade tensions.

NHU Pharmaceutical stunned the market with its 2024 annual report on April 14, revealing a 117.01% surge in net profit to 5.87 billion yuan, and a revenue jump of 42.95% to 21.61 billion yuan.

In a bold move to stimulate economic growth, the UK government announced on April 13 it will suspend tariffs on 89 product categories, effective immediately.

A dramatic escalation in the US-China tariff standoff is reshaping global supply chains. On April 15, the United States raised tariffs on Chinese imports to a stunning 245%, marking the forth increase in just one week.

Perstorp has announced that it has started ester production at its Amsterdam plant and has tested several batches of various ester products. Once the quality is approved by customers, the plant will start to scale up production.

• Perstorp
• ester

On the 15th, Befar Group Egypt Chlor-alkali Plant Project held a groundbreaking ceremony in the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone on the coast of the Red Sea in Egypt.

• Befar Group
• Chlor-alkali

April is peak earnings season in China, and as of April 11, 163 companies across the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing exchanges had published Q1 results or forecasts.

BP has made a significant oil discovery in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, drilling a well in Block 584 of the Green Canyon region.

China has officially launched its first interregional hydrogen-powered freight corridor, as 10 hydrogen fuel cell trucks loaded with chemical products, electronics, and auto parts departed from Chongqing on April 14.

China’s producer prices fell 2.5% year-on-year in March 2025, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on April 10.

As inflation intensifies in Brazil, 58% of citizens have cut back on food purchases, according to a recent nationwide survey by Datafolha.

AlgaEnergy, a leader in microalgae-based agricultural innovation, has announced the launch of four newly CE-certified biostimulants, now available across multiple European markets.

Arkema, a leader in specialty materials, is converting its entire range of acrylic thickeners produced in Europe to ensure consistent high performance.

• Arkema
• acrylic Thickners

Sika achieved record sales of CHF 2,678.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 (previous year: CHF 2,648.0 million). Against the backdrop of an overall market decline, Sika once again managed to achieve organic growth, with an increase of 0.9%...

• Sika