Market Flash

Aekyung Chemical announced on March 19, 2026, that it will halt operations at its Chinese subsidiary, Aekyung (Ningbo) Chemical Co., Ltd., by August 31, 2026, and proceed with its sale. The buyer has not yet been disclosed.

• Aekyung chemical

A massive US tariff refund plan may return billions to importers, but the process is far from settled.

The closure of Hormuz is turning a shipping crisis into a direct threat for seafood logistics and pricing.

The closure of Hormuz is turning a shipping crisis into a direct threat for seafood logistics and pricing.

Airspace closures in the Middle East are already pushing up fresh seafood costs in China.

India’s Directorate General of Trade Remedies under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued a final affirmative anti-dumping ruling on 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline (TDQ) originating in or imported from China.

Falling exports and stronger imports suggest Russia’s agricultural trade balance is under new pressure.

Deméter is entering China by selling not just seaweed extracts, but a clearer anti-stress value story.

India’s API exports beating imports is a meaningful sign of deeper manufacturing confidence.

Ingredient inflation is turning medicine pricing into a supply-chain problem, not just a pharma one.

Lilly’s $3 billion China plan signals long-term confidence in local demand and manufacturing depth.

w based in Switzerland, is moving its cellulose-based whitening ingredient SilvaAlba from pilot validation toward industrial, procurement-ready supply.

In the Japanese market, there has been an increasing trend towards replacing plastics with recycled materials and bioplastics. Around 2018-2019, the issue of marine plastics waste attracted much attention, and the term "de-plastic" was widely circulated.

• Plastics
• Bioplastics
• Japan
• chemical recycle

USDA said it is awarding more than $26.8 million through the Local Agriculture Market Program, with the goal of helping food businesses, producers, and market organizations expand producer-to-consumer and local supply-chain activity.

In 2025, Vietnam posted its highest industrial production growth in 5 years.

• Plastic
• Rubber
• Vietnam

On March 19 (local time), Qatar—one of the world’s largest exporters of liquefied natural gas (LNG)—was struck by missile attacks, causing severe damage to multiple facilities in its core energy hub, Ras Laffan Industrial City.

• Qatar
• LNG

Wanhua’s 2025 revenue topped RMB 200 billion, while profit stayed under pressure. The market is now watching whether 2026 price gains can turn into lasting earnings recovery.

Middle East supply shocks and surging oil have driven broad chemical inflation, with over 100 raw materials rising sharply.

Redwall New Materials Co Ltd’s 50%–80% surge and Songwon’s 12%–20% global hike show chemical firms are no longer absorbing costs themselves.

Disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz are reshaping the global fertilizer market. As the world’s largest urea importer, India is grappling with a fertilizer production crisis triggered by a shortage of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

• Urea
• India