Eurozone manufacturing booms, brings price inflation
The eurozone's manufacturing sector expanded at a record rate in March, but supply-chain delays drove the sharpest rise in input costs for 10 years.
The IHS Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) reading was 62.5 last month, up from 57.9 in February and the greatest month-on-month improvement in nearly 24 years. All countries in the survey recorded readings above the level of 50 that indicates expansion, with all-time highs in Germany and the Netherlands and more than 20-year peaks in Italy and France.
Manufacturers enjoyed record rises in output and new orders in March, and were able to raise their average prices by the most since April 2011 as supply chains were strained by shortages and logistical challenges. This will probably continue into April and may be exacerbated by delays arising from the Suez Canal blockage, IHS Markit said.
Its chief economist Chris Williamson said industry expectations of growth in the year ahead are also running at record highs, leading to investment and restocking as firms prepare for the possibility of still stronger post-pandemic demand.
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Tanker owner denies Houthi attack in Med
Tanker owner denies Houthi attack in Med
London, 16 July (Argus) — The owner of a tanker reported attacked today in the Mediterranean Sea has said there was no such incident. Petronav Ship Management said its tanker, Olvia , was not targeted as claimed by Yemen's Houthi militants. An attack in the Mediterranean would be a big step outside the Houthi's region of operations, which is limited to the area in and around the Bab el-Mandeb strait at the southern end of the Red Sea. The Houthis claimed two other attacks today in the Red Sea, on crude tanker Chios Lion and oil product tanker Bentley I . By Ben Winkley and Bob Wigin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
More Egyptian urea production offline: Update
More Egyptian urea production offline: Update
Adds Abu Qir's plant closure Amsterdam, 16 July (Argus) — Egyptian fertilizer firms Kima and Helwan stopped granular urea production today, citing gas shortages, while Abu Qir has halted prilled urea output. Kima's 570,000 t/yr and Helwan's 650,000 t/yr granular urea plants are both offline, having operated at 80pc of capacity since 2 July. Abu Qir's 578,000 t/yr prilled urea plant has also gone off line. It is unclear when the plants will restart, the producers said. Kima's plant is in Aswan and Helwan's is in El-Tebbin-Helwan, while Abu Qir's facility is outside of the port of the same name. Most of the country's remaining urea plants are still operating at 80pc. Mopco is running only two of its three granular urea plants at 80pc, while EFC's production status has yet to be confirmed. A gas supply crunch in Egypt has hampered urea production since 20 May, as the country prioritised gas deliveries to power plants to meet summer cooling demand. But LNG imports eased the balance at the beginning of July. Egypt fixed at least 17 LNG cargoes in a 25 June tender — seven for July, six for August and four for September. The country is seeking to bolster LNG import capacity as gas production falls and domestic demand rises. Urea export offers have yet to emerge as all producers are assessing the market and the majority are likely to initially focus on delivering previously committed volumes for export and to meet local demand. But Argus understands that some traders were offered Egyptian granular urea at $380-390/t fob for loading in late July and early August. No deal has emerged yet. By Dana Hjeij and Harry Minihan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Egypt’s Kima and Helwan stop urea production
Egypt’s Kima and Helwan stop urea production
Amsterdam, 16 July (Argus) — Egyptian fertilizer producers Kima and Helwan stopped urea production today, citing gas cutbacks. Kima's 570,000 t/yr and Helwan's 650,000 t/yr granular urea plants have both gone off line, having operated at 80pc of their respective capacities since 2 July. It is unclear when the plants will return to operation, Egyptian producers said. Kima's plant is located in Aswan, and Helwan's in El-Tebbin-Helwan. Most of the country's remaining urea plants are still operating at 80pc. Mopco is running only two of its three granular urea plants at 80pc of full capacity, while EFC's production status has yet to be confirmed. A gas supply crunch in Egypt has hampered urea production since 20 May, as the country prioritised gas to power plants to meet summer cooling demand. But LNG imports eased the gas market balance at the beginning of July. Egypt fixed at least 17 LNG cargoes in a 25 June tender — seven for July, six for August and four for September. The country is seeking to bolster LNG import capacity as gas production falls and domestic demand rises. Urea export offers have yet to emerge as all producers are assessing the market and the majority are likely to initially focus on delivering previously committed volumes for export and to meet local demand. But Argus has heard that some traders were offered Egyptian granular urea at $380-390/t fob for loading in late July and early August. No deal has yet emerged. By Dana Hjeij Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Japan’s Imabari delivers LNG-fuelled car carrier
Japan’s Imabari delivers LNG-fuelled car carrier
Tokyo, 16 July (Argus) — Japanese shipbuilder Imabari Shipbuilding delivered an LNG-fuelled car carrier this month to domestic shipping company Mitsui OSK Line (Mol), as Mol targets 90 LNG or methanol-fuelled ships in its fleet by 2030. Imabari supplied on 12 July the Turquoise Ace with capacity for 7,000 cars. It is designed to consume boil-off gas generated within the vessel's fuel LNG tank, expected to curb carbon dioxide emissions by 25-30pc, sulphur oxide emissions by almost 100pc and nitrogen oxide emissions by 80-90pc. The ship was built by Imabari's group company Tadotsu Shipyard in west Japan's Kagawa prefecture. Mol is targeting carbon neutrality by 2050 by boosting the number of its LNG- and methanol-fuelled vessels. The firm has commissioned another LNG-fuelled car carrier the Cerulean Ace with capacity for 7,050 cars, while it plans to charter an LNG-fuelled bulk carrier for utility Kansai Electric Power to deliver coal to Kansai's Maizuru power complex in 2026. By Nanami Oki Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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