Brazil-US Tariff Talks Stalled! Kuraray Announces Price Hike for Polyamide Resins; Indian Textile Stocks Surge

International News Guide:

Raw Materials News - Kuraray Implements Price Revisions for Polyamide Resin Due to Escalating Costs

Automotive News - Tesla Offers ~40% Discount on Car Rentals Amid ~60% Sales Plunge in UK

Packaging News - Coca-Cola, Sparklo Partner with Carrefour to Boost UAE Plastic Recycling Efforts

Macro News - Brazilian Finance Minister: Brazil-US Tariff Talks Stalled

Price Information - FOB Korea Average Price $745/ton; CFR China Average Price $775/ton

International News Details:

1. Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange: Promote Overall Opening-up of Polyester Sector Varieties as Specific Varieties

A relevant person in charge of Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (ZCE) stated at the 2025 China (Zhengzhou) International Futures Forum on August 19 that it is actively advancing the overall opening-up of polyester sector varieties—including PTA options, paraxylene (PX), staple fiber, bottle chip futures and options—as specific varieties. Currently, nearly 800 overseas clients have opened accounts with ZCE, hailing from 33 countries and regions including Hong Kong (China), Singapore, the UK, and the UAE.

2. Anli Shares: Polyurethane Synthetic Leather Production Line Put into Operation!

Recently, Anli Shares issued an announcement stating that the remaining two dry-process production lines of its holding subsidiary, Anli (Vietnam) Material Technology Co., Ltd., have completed equipment commissioning and trial production, and are officially put into operation. With this, all four dry-process production lines of Anli Vietnam have been fully launched, marking a new stage in the company’s capacity layout in the Southeast Asian market.

According to relevant announcements, Anli Vietnam has a registered capital of USD 35 million, with an initial plan to build two wet-process production lines and two dry-process production lines. In recent years, as downstream brand clients in sports, sofa and home furnishing industries have continued to expand their production capacity in Southeast Asia, the demand for eco-functional polyurethane composite materials has surged—especially water-based solvent-free and other green products, which are highly favored. To accurately adapt to market changes, Anli Vietnam decisively adjusted its strategy, converting the originally planned two wet-process production lines into dry-process ones, eventually forming a layout of four dry-process production lines. Upon full production, it will achieve an annual capacity of 18 million meters of polyurethane synthetic leather and composite materials.

3. Kuraray Implements Price Revisions for Polyamide Resin Due to Escalating Costs

Kuraray Co. (Tokyo) has announced a price increase for its heat-resistant polyamide resin, effective for shipments on or after Sept. 1, 2025. The company will raise prices by ¥200 ($1.30) per kilogram in Japan and by $1.50 per kilogram in regions outside Japan.

4. Loop Industries Secures Site for New Plant in India, with Annual Output of 70,000 Tons and Potential for Further Expansion

Recently, clean technology company Loop Industries announced that its joint venture Infinite Loop™ project in India has reached an agreement to acquire a strategic industrial land near Surat, Gujarat, India. The land will be used to build a recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) plant with an annual output of 70,000 tons, with space reserved for subsequent expansion to 170,000 tons per year.

The project aims to use Loop’s patented depolymerization technology to convert polyester textile waste into high-quality rPET resin that enables “infinite recycling,” promoting the development of the polyester circular economy in India and globally.

5. Indonesia to Make Plastic Recycling Mandatory for Producers by 2029

Malang, East Java (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Environment is preparing to make plastic recycling mandatory as part of its efforts to resolve the nation's waste problem. Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said on Monday that the government is upgrading the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanism, which was previously voluntary, into a mandatory scheme for product manufacturers that use plastic packaging.

6. Coca-Cola, Sparklo Partner with Carrefour to Boost UAE Plastic Recycling Efforts

Plastic waste management in the Middle East is receiving new support, as a new cooperation initiative aims to make it easier for residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in recycling activities. Shopping mall operator Majid Al Futtaim, Coca-Cola Middle East, and UAE clean technology company Sparklo have joined hands to promote the use of Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) at major Carrefour supermarket stores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

This initiative builds on existing recycling efforts and is expected to collect over 1.8 million plastic bottles and aluminum cans annually, equivalent to more than 1,000 containers per day.

7. Lightweight Breakthrough in Carbon Fiber Cargo Bikes Reshapes Urban Logistics Landscape!

German bicycle manufacturer Maniac & Sane has developed lightweight carbon fiber bikes in response to the cargo bike trend in Europe, aiming to achieve sustainable urban transportation. The frame structure of the cargo bike includes a lamp cover and an Airtag holder as integral components, which are 3D-printed using Evonik’s Infinam PA12 nylon and carbon fiber.

While maintaining a load capacity of 220 kg, the total weight of the bike is reduced to half that of similar products on the market (approximately 30 kg). The high rigidity and fatigue resistance of carbon fiber make it more durable on rough roads, effectively absorbing vibrations and extending its service life. In addition, its high plasticity supports complex aerodynamic designs and optimizes the layout of cargo space. These features significantly improve maneuverability, making it particularly suitable for complex urban road conditions.

8. Tesla Offers ~40% Discount on Car Rentals Amid ~60% Sales Plunge in UK

Due to the decline in Tesla’s car sales in the UK, Tesla Inc. has recently been offering a approximately 40% discount on car rentals to UK car rental companies to counter the rapid shrinkage of its market share. Data shows that in July, Tesla’s car sales in the UK dropped to 987 units, a year-on-year decrease of approximately 60%, while the total sales of new cars in the UK in July only decreased by approximately 5% year-on-year.

Amid the pressure on its automotive business, reports recently stated that Tesla has submitted an application for an electricity supply license to UK energy regulators, planning to provide electricity services to UK households.

Overseas Macro Market:

[Brazilian Finance Minister: Brazil-US Tariff Talks Stalled]

According to Xinhua News Agency, Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad stated at an event in São Paulo on the 18th that tariff negotiations between Brazil and the United States have stalled. Haddad said the US side has linked trade issues to the judicial case of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, attempting to impose a solution that is impossible to implement under Brazil’s constitutional framework. “This request cannot be fulfilled, and we have reached an impasse,” he noted. He added that the scale of Brazil-US trade has declined significantly in recent years and may further decrease in the future.

[South Korea’s July Auto Exports Up 8.8% YoY; Exports to US Fall for 5th Consecutive Month]

Data released by South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Tuesday showed that South Korea’s auto export value in July increased by 8.8% year-on-year to USD 5.83 billion, achieving growth for the second consecutive month. Exports to the EU surged by 32.7%, far offsetting the decline in exports to the US caused by US tariffs.

Exports to the US fell for the fifth consecutive month, dropping by 4.6% year-on-year to USD 2.33 billion in July—though the decline rate slowed significantly from 16% in June.

[Indian Textile Stocks Surge as Government Scraps Import Tariff on Cotton]

Starting from August 19, 2025, the Indian government announced the abolition of the import tariff on cotton, which previously stood at 11%. This policy adjustment aims to enhance the international competitiveness of India’s textile industry, especially amid the pressure of high US tariffs. Driven by this positive news, the stock prices of many Indian listed textile companies rose significantly.

This move is seen as an emergency support measure by the Indian government for the textile industry. The industry is currently bearing the heavy blow of additional US tariffs, with the comprehensive tariff rate for some products reaching as high as 50%, while competitors such as Bangladesh and Vietnam only face a tariff rate of around 20%. The US is India’s largest textile export market, accounting for 28% of its total exports, with a market value of USD 36.6 billion. Industry organizations pointed out that scrapping the cotton import tariff will effectively reduce raw material costs, enhance export price competitiveness, and alleviate the risks of order loss and production contraction caused by external trade pressures.

[US Tariff Impact: Container Throughput from Hamburg Port to US Drops by Nearly 20%]

According to data from Hamburg Port Marketing (HPM) on August 18, in the first half of 2025, the seaborne cargo throughput of Hamburg Port increased by 3.6%, and container throughput rose by 9.3%, showing an overall stable growth trend. However, affected by frequent changes in US tariff policies, the container throughput from Hamburg Port to the US decreased by 19.3%.

Axel Mattern, Managing Director and CEO of Hamburg Port Marketing, pointed out that this highlights the negative impact of US trade policy uncertainty on global maritime transportation and EU-US trade. In contrast, Hamburg Port’s logistics cooperation with Asia and the Baltic Sea region has grown, and the increase in container throughput mainly comes from routes to East Asia and the Baltic Sea. The data changes reflect the impact of US tariff policies on EU-US trade and the warming of trade between Europe and East Asia. Hamburg Port expects that transatlantic trade will continue to be dragged down by this in the future.

[Trump Advisor Slams India: “Earn from the US, Buy Putin’s Oil”]

Peter Navarro, former White House trade advisor, posted an article stating that India has become a “global clearinghouse for Russian crude oil” and accused India of engaging in “opportunism” by purchasing Russian oil. He claimed that India’s major oil lobbying groups are the driving force behind the purchases of Russian oil, and noted that the Trump administration’s additional tariffs on India this month serve a dual purpose: to hit India’s ability to enter the US market and cut off the financial lifeline that India provides to Russia.

Price Information:

[USD/CNY Central Parity Rate]

The central parity rate of USD/CNY was quoted at 7.1359, down 37 pips; the central parity rate of the previous trading day was 7.1322, the official closing price of the previous trading day was 7.1792, and the overnight closing price was 7.1854.

[Upstream Raw Materials USD Market Prices]

Ethylene Asia: CFR Northeast Asia $825/ton; CFR Southeast Asia $820/ton.

Propylene Northeast Asia: FOB Korea average price $745/ton; CFR China average price $775/ton.

North Asia frozen cargo CIF price: propane $515-517/ton; butane $505-507/ton.

South China frozen cargo CIF price for late September: propane $557-567/ton; butane $527-537/ton.

Taiwan region frozen cargo CIF price: propane $515-517/ton; butane $505-507/ton.

[LLDPE USD Market Prices]

Film: $860-910/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Injection molding: $950/ton (CFR Dongguan).

[HDPE USD Market Prices]

Film: $900-955/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Blow molding: $855/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Injection molding: $890/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Pipe: $1,025/ton (CFR Huangpu).

[LDPE USD Market Prices]

Film: $1,100-1,110/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Coating: $1,280/ton (CFR Huangpu).

[PP USD Market Prices]

Homopolymer: $895-965/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Copolymer: $910-965/ton (CFR Nansha);

Film grade: $1,030/ton (CFR Nansha);

Transparent: $975-1,055/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Pipe: $1,130/ton (CFR Shanghai).