Market Flash

On March 17, the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that China's fixed asset investment (excluding rural households) reached 526.19 billion yuan from January to February 2025, marking a 4.1% increase year-on-year.

Cosmo Specialty Chemicals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cosmo First that provides one-stop solutions for a range of adhesives, masterbatches and coating chemicals, has announced the launch of its innovative COSEAL-601 heat seal coating solution.

• Cosmo Specialty Chemicals
• COSEAL-601
• heat seal coating solution

Woodside Energy Group Ltd. has reached an agreement with China Resources Gas International to supply 600,000 tons of LNG per year to China Resources for a period of 15 years, with delivery starting in 2027.

• Woodside
• China Resources Gas International

On March 14, amid ongoing political turmoil, several food companies in South Korea have announced price increases, with McDonald's raising its prices for the first time in 10 months.

On March 10, 2025, Ingevity announced the appointment of David H. Li as the new President and CEO, effective April 7, 2025.

On March 10, 2025, Daon Co., Ltd. held its 21st meeting of the fifth board of directors, where it approved the decision to terminate the investment in the biodegradable materials project.

On March 12, WACKER Chemie AG released its 2024 financial report, revealing a 11% decrease in sales, amounting to €5.7 billion. The decline is primarily attributed to falling prices of polysilicon, which significantly affected sales volumes.

On March 12, 2025, the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued a significant announcement regarding anti-dumping duties on Azo Pigments imported from China.

Coromandel International Limited, one of India’s leading agricultural solutions providers, has inaugurated its second sulphur manufacturing plant at its Visakhapatnam facility in Andhra Pradesh.

• Coromandel International Limited
• sulphur

Perstorp, a leading global innovator of specialty chemicals has launched the Neptem range of alkyds, a suite of emulsifier solutions that enable the next generation of high-performance, low-VOC waterborne alkyds.

• Perstorp
• alkyds

Coach and Interparfums announced on Friday, March 14, that they have extended their fragrance licensing agreement for five years, until June 30, 2031.

• Coach
• Interparfums

Sudarshan Chemical Industries Limited (SCIL) announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of Germany’s Heubach Group through its wholly owned subsidiary Sudarshan Europe BV in an asset and share transaction.

• SCIL
• Sudarshan Chemical Industries Limited
• Heubach

Groupe Berkem, a French biochemicals supplier, is acquiring Laboratoires Eriger and its patented encapsulation technology for phyto-active ingredients.

• Groupe Berkem
• biochemicals
• Laboratoires Eriger
• chlorophyll

Syngene, a global contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CRDMO), recently announced the acquisition of its first biologics facility in the US, which is equipped with multiple monoclonal antibody (mAbs) production lines.

• Syngene
• CRDMO

Dupilumab has emerged as the "king of autoimmune drugs" with a staggering $14.179 billion in sales. Despite its approval for seven indications, its dominance is primarily rooted in atopic dermatitis (AD).

A spokesperson from the Ministry of Public Security emphasized that China maintains one of the strictest drug control policies in the world.

The company reported a revenue of 6.875 billion yuan, reflecting a 38.98% increase compared to the previous year.

On March 12, the Indonesian Ministry of Finance announced that starting March 25, the country will impose anti-dumping duties on nylon film imports from mainland China, Taiwan, and Thailand.

The President of the German Central Bank, Joachim Nagel, warned on March 12 that US tariffs could push Germany, Europe's largest economy, into recession.

Canadian Environmental and Climate Change Department (ECCC) and the Health Canada released a significant report on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), alongside a set of risk management measures.