| Abstrakt: |
The article presents a market overview of the U.S. petrochemicals industry, as of the second quarter of 2008. A downturn is being experienced by the industry due to high, fluctuating feedstock prices. The industry has also been affected by natural calamities, such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which seriously affected petrochemical operations in the U.S. gulf region. Large-scale consolidation has also taken place in the industry, including the Equistar alliance formed by Lyondell and Millennium. |
