Benzene prices fell further in Asia as more sellers emerged in the spot market to offer March and April cargoes. US spot benzene prices also fell after a deal was heard done at lower level. European benzene market remained light in the wake of the February contract price settlement. Spot benzene barges were assessed slightly lower on the week. Caprolactum markets inched up ahead of the coming holidays amid cautious enquiries and firm benzene numbers. Suppliers continued to raise offers and tra

Asian propylene prices rose for the sixth successive week as players took positions in anticipation of tight supply in March. European February propylene contract price was fully settled up from January while US spot propylene prices rose marginally as producers nominated steep increases for February contracts. In Latin America, February propylene contracts are poised to gain, pressured higher by the increase in the February NWE contract as well as US contract. Asian acrylonitrile markets firm

Asian viscose staple prices remained flat on the week as the Chinese Lunar New Year approached and cotton spinning mills there will be offline and viscose producers will stop delivery. Most viscose producers were carrying out their previous orders, and some customers replenished materials at lower prices expecting prices to go up post holidays in China. Viscose filament markets changed marginally on cost support and downstream buyers picking up volumes, although in smaller size, for stocking b

an cotton yarn markets were getting thinner as most spinning mills in China had shut for holiday while traders were also on leave. Sellers were reluctant to sell at low prices as spot prices were posted higher. 100% cotton yarn markets were already amid festival sentiment. Overall sentiment of cotton yarn was weak, and prices continued to roll over. Trading volume of pure cotton yarn 32s inched up. Spun polyester yarn prices remained unchanged amid weak demand. Hike in PSF continued to cast pres

The industry and banks have hailed the 25 basis point cut in the repo rate and Cash Reserve Ratio. While the lending institutions feel that this will help ease the tight liquidity in the system, the seeker of finance thinks that this will help ease the pressure on the borrowing cost. Who will say ‘no’ to cheaper finance or lower rates? The industry obviously will expect more and this is exactly what the knitwear exporting community too is looking forward to. While welcoming the RBI’s de

BOON:The new textile unit at Ramco textiledivision at Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district.— file photo Textile export units in Karur and elsewhere would benefit immensely from the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical Substances (REACH) programme organised by the international testing agency TUV Rheinland, according to Bhaskar, Director (Finance and General Administration), TUV Rheinland India. Speaking at the high-level Summit and Best Practice Exchange Foru

Taiwanese footwear manufacturing company PT Shyang Ju Fung issued separation pay on Tuesday to workers it was laying off, due to it halting production activities in Indonesia. The company, which produced footwear under the Assic brand name, has been laying off its roughly 2,500 employees since last November. Industrial relations between workers and managers in the company have been tense, severely affecting production activities. “Since we started production activities in 2009, our workers

Cotton production in Burkina Faso, one of the first countries in Africa to approve genetically modified cotton, jumped 57.5 percent in 2012-2013 due to an increase in GMO crops, the producers' association said. Output for the year to end-January 2013 rose to 630,000 tonnes from 400,000 tonnes in 2011/2012 and exceeded the association's expectations for 532,000 tonnes, the Burkina National Cotton Producers' Union (UNPCB) said on Thursday. Burkina Faso, which relies on cotton as one of its major

The deal between India and Bangladesh for cotton shipments, which will be at a business-to-business level, is being worked out by the Commerce and Textile Ministries of the two countries. India and Bangladesh may shortly seal an agreement on cotton that will ensure supply of a fixed minimum quantity from New Delhi to its neighbour every year irrespective of any export ban. “Bangladesh wants India to commit to 15 lakh bales (170 kg each) of cotton every year, but the final amount is sti