Crude oil prices rose in heavy trade on Thursday, buoyed by strong economic data from China, the eurozone and US, with U.S. crude prices getting an extra boost from expectations that the vital Seaway pipeline could resume full capacity operation within a week.US crude oil prices had plunged on Wednesday on news of the restricted flow, on expectations the reduced rates would cause a build of crude stockpiles at Cushing. The oil complex was also supported by encouraging purchasing managers' index

Ethylene prices in Asia rose to a nine month high on modest downstream demand and surge energy complex but amid thin trading activity. European ethylene market continued to see imports trickle in as cracker operators moved to cover for the upcoming turnaround season. In US ethylene spot price climbed as production outages continued to weigh in on the spot market. Paraxylene prices were driven up by active short covering for the February position in Asia. In Europe spot paraxylene prices were als

Asian benzene prices declined shrugging off the firming upstream crude prices. In Europe benzene prices also receded further as the markets were generally in bearish sentiment. US spot benzene price trended lower amid weaker market sentiment following lower European benzene levels. In Latin America, benzene prices went down despite nominally stronger crude. However, this did not deter caprolactum markets to firm up. Also supported by tight supply, caprolactum prices inched up and suppliers conti

Propylene prices gained in Asia on an open Asia-US arbitrage and tight Asia-US propylene arbitrage window open. The arbitrage from Asia to the US was opened with increased discussions between Asian producers and traders to fix cargoes. In Europe, Lavera cracker outage aided the upward trajectory in spot prices. Acrylonitrile markets firmed up high levels in Asia and prices gradually rose, given limited spot supply and high cost of propylene. The markets were also pulled up by continuously nort

Viscose staple fibre markets in Asia were dull with most downstream players finalizing their operations ahead of the coming Lunar New Year holiday in China. Markets in Pakistan were under pressure from cotton fibre while Indian viscose markets were quiet and prices mostly rolled over previous week’s numbers. Viscose filament yarn markets weakened further as downstream mills were mostly closing for Spring Festival in China, with a few mills planning to shut down early next week. Traders declined

Cotton futures fell almost 3% on Friday, the steepest one-day fall in two months, as traders were locked in profits from the market's longest winning streak in a year. The most-active March contract on ICE Futures US fell US cents 2.37 cents, or 2.85%. However, it was US cents 1.97 up week over week. The Cotlook A index also rose US cents 4 while the China Cotton Index sobered 6 Yuan a ton. Indian cotton prices in India are likely to increase further in the next two months due to the rise in d

100% cotton yarn market sentiment was quite dull with yarn producers generally lifting prices pressured by hikes in high-quality cotton prices. More weaving mills were off production for holiday in China, leaving only few producers to hold on till the year-end. In India, although cotton prices cotton yarn prices increased on both domestic and export markets. Polyester spun yarn producers were heard closing for New Year Holidays in China but some were still operating and pre-stocking fibre at low

Mark Lewis is to become the first online director for John Lewis as the department store expands its online business. The former Collect+ chief executive will join the group’s board and will start his role on March 4th, reporting to managing director Andy Street. ”Mark is ideally placed to continue the growth and development of our online business,” said Street. “He brings insight and experience of the retail sector, and will be driving further innovation across both our website and omn

Retailers including Adidas, Hugo Boss, LK Bennett, Nicole Farhi and Superdry have signed up to install virtual fitting room technology from Fits.me. The Fits.me Virtual Fitting Room will enable online shoppers to customise mannequins to their individual measurements so they can see how clothes look on them before they buy. It is able to pull key garment pictures from the database that correspond to a customer’s exact body size and shape. Fits.me founder and chief executive Heikki Haldre