【Overseas Highlights】Iran's Petrochemical Sector Attacked, MDI/TDI Production Capacity Suffered Severe Damage! Europe Introduces New Regulations Supporting Bio-Based Plastics

International Headlines Overview:

Raw Material News - US MDI Supply Crisis, Giants Raise Prices Collectively

Policy News - Overturning the Old Carbon Algorithm, European Association Proposes New Regulations for Biobased Plastics

Medical News - Mitsui Chemicals Expands Production Capacity for Eyewear Lens Materials

Macroeconomic News-Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson says the situation needs to be reassessed

Price InformationThe central parity rate of the RMB against the U.S. dollar was set at 6.8130, up 17 pips.

The following are the details of international news.：

Iran’s only MDI/TDI producer was attacked!

Israeli missiles struck the Karoon Petrochemical Complex in the Mahshahr Petrochemical Economic Zone in southwestern Iran, causing partial damage to one of the country’s important industrial chemical facilities. The attack caused no casualties, but marked a further escalation in the already tense conflict between Israel and Iran, with the target directly aimed at infrastructure closely tied to Iran’s overall economic system. Reports said that chlorine-related units and storage facilities within the Karoon Petrochemical Complex were damaged.

The attack occurred at around 7:30 a.m. local time on June 8, 2026, when two missiles struck parts of the factory. Following the attack, all personnel in the Mahshahr Petrochemical Special Economic Zone were evacuated.

2. The supply of MDI in the United States is in crisis, and major companies are collectively raising prices.

The U.S. MDI market entered a tight phase again in June. The latest reports indicate that Covestro’s MDI plant in Baytown, Texas, was affected by force majeure, while Huntsman’s plant in Geismar underwent maintenance during the same period, with both events occurring around June 1–10. Meanwhile, North American MDI capacity is highly concentrated, with a small number of producers controlling the vast majority of supply, so any disruption at a single facility is quickly amplified by the market.

This round of price increases is not an isolated event. Since the end of May, major MDI producers such as BASF, Covestro, and Huntsman have successively issued price increase notices, with reported price hikes for various MDI products in North America ranging from $0.22 to $0.35 per pound. For downstream industries, this means the polyurethane supply chain will once again face cost pass-through pressure, especially in building insulation, automotive seats, appliances, adhesives, and elastomers.

The EU has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of PBAT and PBSeT from China.

The European Commission has officially issued a notice of initiation, announcing the launch of an anti-dumping investigation into certain aliphatic-aromatic copolyester products originating in China.

4. Mitsui Chemicals expands eyeglass lens material production capacity

Recently, Mitsui Chemicals announced that it will once again expand production capacity for its eyeglass lens materials. To this end, the company will install new equipment at its Omuta Plant in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, with operations expected to begin in the first half of 2029. This move marks another capacity expansion following its 2025 decision to introduce new equipment for the same type of materials.

The company is expanding its capacity for a type of resin material called "MR," which is the primary raw material for manufacturing eyeglass lenses. This resin is in a liquid state and can be molded into lenses once cured. Its core feature is a high refractive index, allowing for the production of thinner and lighter lenses.

5. Securikett launches security tamper-evident tape made from recycled materials

At Interpack 2026, Securikett launched a series of security tapes made from recycled materials.

The new series of tapes is available in various widths and provides a pronounced tamper-evident effect upon removal. The company reports that even when multiple layers of security tape are applied, the new tape can still be reliably triggered if the package is tampered with.

A key feature is the adhesive-free zone in the center of the tape, which prevents the “void” effect from being triggered prematurely by vibrations during transport or impacts such as a package dropping, thereby preserving its function until intentional opening.

6. Overturning the old carbon algorithm, the European Association is proposing a new policy for bio-based plastics.

The European Plastics Association has issued a position paper recommending that the EU should introduce dedicated policies to cultivate benchmark markets for bio-based plastics, set independent development targets, and improve public procurement and differentiated EPR (extended producer responsibility) incentives, and that bio-based feedstock criteria andRecycled plasticSet the indicators separately to avoid crowding each other out.

The document clearly defines two types of products: one is bio-based plastics, which rely on C14 detection to measure biological components; the other is bio-sourced plastics, which allocate the content of biomass based on the mass balance method. Both can be included in policy assessments. The mass balance process facilitates the blending of fossil, recycled, bio-based, and carbon-captured materials in existing facilities, optimizing the utilization of existing production capacity.

PLIXXENT collaborates with Bata Industrials to launch a bio-based polyurethane system for safety footwear.

PLIXXENT and Bata Industrials have announced the successful development of an innovation for safety protective footwear.biobasedA polyurethane (PU) system that combines sustainability and high performance.

Overseas macro market:

[Iran Releases Video of Strike on U.S. MQ-9 Drone] Iran released video on June 10 of the downing of a U.S. MQ-9 drone that day. In the early hours of today (June 10) local time, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that, amid ongoing air combat in the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone attempting to approach Iran from the northern Persian Gulf and intervene in the fighting was shot down and destroyed by Iranian air defense forces over Jam County in Bushehr Province.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the situation needs to be reassessed.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei said on the 10th, when addressing issues related to Iran-U.S. talks, that after the conflict on the 9th, Iran needs to reassess the situation. Baghaei said the United States has continued to violate the ceasefire, undermining the diplomatic process.

"Shipping Out" Becomes "Dilution"? U.S. Changes Its Demand on Iran's Enriched Uranium U.S. media reported on the 9th, citing U.S. officials and several diplomats, that talks between the United States and Iran mediated by Pakistan have made "major progress." Among the developments, the U.S. position on how to handle Iran's enriched uranium has changed: Washington no longer requires Iran to ship its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to another country, but instead wants it to be diluted in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

[Iranian sources said the retaliatory operation hit 70% of its intended targets.]

According to Iranian media reports on the 10th, an Iranian military source said that in Iran’s retaliatory operation against the U.S. military that day, 70% of the planned targets were successfully hit. The source said that the Iranian armed forces’ long-range ballistic missiles and drones penetrated the defense systems of U.S. bases and struck designated targets at the U.S. military base in Azraq, Jordan, the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, and the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

Samsung is considering building a new facility. Samsung Electronics is considering building an advanced semiconductor packaging factory in Gwangju, South Korea, to meet global chipset demand. Samsung is expanding its HBM market layout to strengthen its position in the industry.AIits position in the chip supply chain. Samsung is expected to, on June 29, when the South Korean president and heads of business conglomerates Investment plan to be announced publicly.

The U.S. military announced on the 9th that it has completed a "defensive strike" against Iran. This strike was a response to the downing of a U.S. military helicopter on the 8th. The statement said that U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft precisely targeted Iranian air defense systems, ground control stations, and surveillance radars located near the Strait of Hormuz. "This is a reciprocal response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international merchant vessels passing through the waters of the region."

Price information:

The yuan’s central parity rate against the U.S. dollar was set at 6.8130, up 17 pips; the previous trading day’s central parity rate was 6.8147, the official closing rate was 6.7702, and the overnight session closed at 6.7734.

Upstream Raw Material USD Market Prices

On June 9, CFR Northeast Asia ethylene rose by $10/ton to $930/ton, while CFR Southeast Asia remained stable at $950/ton.

The average FOB Korea price of propylene in Northeast Asia remained stable at USD 1,110/ton, and the average CFR China price remained stable at USD 1,130/ton.

North Asia cold storage CIF price: propane at USD 733-743/ton; butane at USD 783-793/ton.

South China imported refrigerated cargo landed prices in July: propane at USD 838-948/ton; butane at USD 898-908/ton.

Taiwan CFR price for refrigerated cargoes: propane at USD 733-743/ton; butane at USD 783-793/ton.

[LLDPE US dollar market price]

Film: USD 1,300/ton (CFR Huangpu);

[HDPE USD Market Price]

Thin film: USD 1,270/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Hollow: $1330/ton (CFR Yantian);

Injection molding: USD 1,320/ton (CFR Yantian);

[LDPE USD Market Price]

Film: $1410/ton (CFR Huangpu);

[PP USD Market Price]

Average price: 1400 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Copolymer: USD 1,430/ton (CFR Nansha);

Membrane material: USD 1,580/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Transparent: 1485 USD/ton (CFR Huangpu).