United States Reinstates Reciprocal Tariff; Ennila Announces Price Increase for Caprolactam and PA6; Evonik Signs Agreement with Malaysian Company

International News Briefing:

Raw Material News - Evonik will supply membrane technology to a Malaysian bioenergy company

Electrical Appliances News – Henkel Launches a Polyurethane Hot Melt Adhesive to Simplify Assembly of Glass and Large Panels in Household Appliances

Auto News – Dashboard Display Malfunction: Chrysler Recalls 20,271 Vehicles in the U.S.

Macro News – Japanese Prime Minister Confirms Vessel Linked to Japan Has Successfully Passed Through the Strait of Hormuz

The Chinese yuan's central parity rate against the U.S. dollar was quoted at 6.8608, down 19 points.

The following is the details of international news.

The US will impose Section 301 tariffs on 60 countries/regions, reinstating the abolished reciprocal tariffs.

Latest news: The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) held a public hearing on April 28-29, 2026, at the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in Washington, as part of the Section 301 investigation into 60 major trading partners.

The first day of the hearing has ended, with human rights and pro-tariff groups calling for new import bans, tariffs, or quotas on countries including China, and pushing trading partners to adopt similar enforcement mechanisms as the United States. Industry representatives, such as the American Soybean Association, warned of the risks of broad tariffs.

The focus of this Section 301 investigation is whether these economies have "failed to implement and effectively enforce prohibitions on the importation of goods produced by forced labor," and whether such actions constitute "unreasonable or discriminatory" practices that impose a burden or restriction on U.S. commerce.

Covering 60 economies: Mainland China, Hong Kong (China), Taiwan (China), the European Union, Japan, South Korea, India, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Mexico, Canada, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Envalior announced an increase in the prices of caprolactam and PA6 products.

Envalior announced an increase in the prices of caprolactam and PA6 products.

Envalior announced that it will increase the prices of caprolactam, Akulon® and Durethan® series PA6 base resins, as well as PA6 film and extrusion grades, and PA6 copolymer grades in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Americas regions.

Current geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainties are continuously posing challenges to global supply chains and the supply of critical raw materials. Over the past several weeks, the company has devoted additional operational efforts across its entire value chain and implemented a series of costly supplementary measures to ensure stable delivery performance.

Although the company has been continuously committed to addressing these developments and maintaining stability as much as possible, given the current market environment, it has become necessary to adjust product pricing to ensure a reliable and sustainable supply to our customers.

Therefore, Envalior will implement a price adjustment, with an increase of +450 EUR/ton (+526 USD/ton); this adjustment is effective immediately or as permitted by the specific contract terms.

For specific materials, the company may implement further differentiated price adjustments based on specific product requirements and market conditions.

Multiple well-known record labels jointly launch an environmental campaign! 100% recycled vinyl records are now available.

In response to environmental demands, Secretly Group, Exceleration Music, Warp Records, Ninja Tune, and Beggars Group have joined forces with Music Declares Emergency and Music Climate Pact to launch a sustainability-focused public welfare activity. This event coincides with World Environment Day on June 5, 2026, and will feature a limited edition album pressed with 100% recycled vinyl. The product will be sold in the US, Canada, and the UK markets, and will also be available through direct sales channels.

Evonik will supply membrane technology to a Malaysian bioenergy company.

Evonik Industries AG announced on April 27 that it has signed a large-scale supply agreement with MTC Orec Sdn Bhd (MTCO), a company based in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, specializing in bioenergy business, to provide its membrane technology to the company.

Evonik stated that MTCO is funded by the Malaysian government and jointly owned and operated by VentureTECH. The company is a designer and builder of biogas purification plants, and plans to further promote this renewable energy technology throughout the Asian region.

trinamiX Portable Near-Infrared Spectrometer Expands Material Identification in the Footwear and Textile Industries

trinamiX expands its circular economy solutions portfolio with a new offering for identifying materials used in the footwear and textile industries. With its portable near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy solution, trinamiX enables manufacturers, sorters, recyclers, and brands to reliably identify materials and enhance transparency across increasingly complex value chains.

Henkel launches a polyurethane hot melt adhesive, simplifying the assembly of glass and large panels in appliance applications.

Henkel has added a new formulation to its award-winning Technomelt product line. Technomelt PUR 9015 BV/WV is a polyurethane hot melt adhesive delivering high initial bond strength for glass and large-panel household appliance applications—products requiring immediate post-assembly stability and long-term structural durability. This polyurethane hot melt adhesive not only exhibits excellent adhesion to a wide range of substrates but also offers high heat resistance and compatibility with automated processes, providing manufacturers with a flexible, highly reliable, and cost-effective assembly solution.

Instrument panel failure Chrysler recalls 20,271 vehicles in the U.S.

Due to a software failure, the instrument panel display may fail, and Chrysler is recalling certain 2024-2025 Jeep Wagoneer S and Dodge Charger electric vehicles, totaling 20,271 units.

Overseas Macro Market:

[Trump Threatens Iran to “Shape Up”] U.S. President Trump posted on social media in the early hours of the 29th, stating: “Iran just doesn’t get it—they don’t know how to sign a nuclear deal. They better shape up quickly!” Trump also attached an image of himself posing with a gun, accompanied by the caption: “No more Mr. Nice Guy.”

Japanese Prime Minister confirms a vessel linked to the country has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz. Tokyo continues to lobby Tehran to ensure the safe passage of all ships through this critical chokepoint. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated on X that the vessel transited the strait on April 29 and is en route to Japan, though she did not disclose the ship's name. She emphasized that she is seizing every opportunity to urge Iran, underscoring the importance of swiftly guaranteeing the free and safe passage of all vessels, including Japanese ships, through the Strait of Hormuz.

[High-level Saemina will propose a new version of the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Concept" during her visit to Vietnam, Foreign Ministry: It is actually inciting bloc confrontation] In response to Japanese Prime Minister Saemina High-level's statement that she will propose a new version of the "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" concept, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian stated at a regular press conference on the 29th that interactions between countries should not target or harm the interests of third parties. Under the guise of "freedom and openness," what Japan is actually doing is inciting bloc confrontation and creating "small cliques." Such actions run counter to the shared vision of regional countries and the international community for peace, development, and cooperation, and are not popular.

South Korean former President Yoon Suk-yeol was sentenced to 7 years in prison in the second trial of cases related to obstructing his arrest during the emergency martial law period. Previously, in the first trial, the court had sentenced Yoon to 5 years in prison.

The State Taxation Administration (STA) released, for the first time, country-specific implementation guidelines for the global minimum tax rules concerning Denmark, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at an event held in Chongqing on April 29. This marks another upgrade to the “Tax Road Pass” cross-border tax knowledge product system.

[Iranian Official: US Attempt to Force Iran into Compliance Through Blockade is Futile] According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on the 29th, Mojtaba Ferdowsipour, the head of Iran's Interests Section in Cairo, stated that the US attempt to force Iran into accepting its unilateral demands through a maritime blockade is futile, as Iran can bypass the blockade by utilizing its land borders with neighboring countries. Ferdowsipour reaffirmed that Iran has the right to control the security of the Strait of Hormuz.

[U.S. President Trump Expresses Dissatisfaction with German Chancellor's Remarks on Iran] On the 28th, U.S. President Trump voiced his displeasure with German Chancellor Merz's recent comments regarding Iran. Trump posted on social media, saying Merz "thinks it's fine for Iran to have nuclear weapons—he has no idea what he's talking about." He also stated that Germany is now "performing so poorly, both economically and in other respects."

[Trump: US Ready for Long-term Blockade of Iran] According to US media reports on the 28th, President Trump told his aides to be prepared for a long-term blockade of Iran.

Price Information:

The USD/CNY central parity rate was quoted at 6.8608, down 19 basis points; the previous trading day's central parity rate was 6.8589, the official closing price on the previous trading day was 6.8360, and the overnight trading session closed at 6.8372.

[Upstream raw material USD market price]

Ethylene CFR Northeast Asia steady at $1,325/ton; CFR Southeast Asia down $10/ton to $1,380/ton.

The FOB Korea average price of propylene in Northeast Asia fell to $1,270/ton, down $30/ton, while the CFR China average price remained stable at $1,340/ton.

North Asia CFR prices: propane at USD 872–882/ton; butane at USD 1022–1032/ton.

China South China import price for May, propane 985-995 USD/ton; butane 1085-1095 USD/ton.

Liquefied petroleum gas import prices in Taiwan: Propane 872-882 USD/ton; Butane 1022-1032 USD/ton.

LLDPE USD price market

Film: USD 1,350 per metric ton (CFR Huangpu)

HDPE USD Market Price

Film: USD 1,400 per metric ton (CFR Huangpu).

Hollow: No quotation;

Injection molding: USD 1,320 per metric ton (CFR Huangpu)

[LDPE USD market price]

Film: 1450 USD/ton (CFR Dongguan)

PP USD Market Price

Homopolymer: $1,420/ton (CFR Huangpu);

Copolymer: USD 1,620/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Membrane material: USD 1,630 per metric ton (CFR Huangpu).

Transparent: USD 1,520 per metric ton (CFR Huangpu).