AIMPLAS Upgrades Plastic Technologies! Lecta Launches New Flexible Packaging Products! Oriental Yuhong Expands Footprint in Latin America

International News Roundup

Raw Material News: AIMPLAS Launches Special Project to Explore Optimized Solutions for Compostable Bioplastic Treatment Processes

Recycling News: Aligned with EU Standards and Supporting Recycling, India Plans to Introduce Mandatory Textile Labeling Regulations

Electronics News: Vynova's UK Chlor-Alkali Business Enters Administration!

Packaging News: Lecta Innovatively Launches Ice Cream-Specific Flexible Packaging Material, Balancing Performance and Sustainability

Construction News: Oriental Yuhong Proposes to Acquire 60% Equity of Brazilian Chemical Company for RMB 144 Million, Accelerating Layout in Latin American Market

Macroeconomic News: Ministry of Commerce: Impose Provisional Countervailing Measures on Imported Related Dairy Products Originating from the EU

Details of International News

2.Aligned with EU Standards and Supporting Recycling, India Plans to Introduce Mandatory Textile Labeling Regulations

The Economic Times of India revealed that the Ministry of Textiles of India is putting the final touches on mandatory labeling regulations for garments and home textiles sold domestically.The new regulations will require textiles to be labeled with fiber composition ratio, country of origin of products and materials, and care instructions, etc., thereby aligning India's textile labeling regulations with global standards, especially those of the EU, while supporting textile recycling.It is reported that stakeholders have conducted initial consultations, but these have not yet been finalized, and the official release date of the new regulations remains to be confirmed. In addition, the new regulations are expected to include penalty mechanisms for non-compliance.

3.Lecta Innovatively Launches Ice Cream-Specific Flexible Packaging Material, Balancing Performance and Sustainability

Lecta has further expanded its metallized paper product portfolio by launching Metalvac metallized paper dedicated to ice cream.This product can meet the industry's current requirements for technical performance, production efficiency, and sustainability. It is a new recyclable solution with barrier properties, suitable for flexible packaging of frozen foods such as ice cream cones.Ice cream-specific Metalvac metallized paper is an innovative paper product designed to replace existing composite film solutions in the market with higher sustainability.

6.Vynova's UK Chlor-Alkali Business Enters Administration!

It was learned on December 22 that according to a statement recently released on its official website by Belgium's Vynova Group, its chlor-alkali business in Runcorn, UK, has entered administration proceedings.According to data from Platts, a subsidiary of S&P Global Energy, the annual production capacity of the Runcorn plant includes 495,000 tons of caustic soda, 440,000 tons of ethylene dichloride (EDC), and 450,000 tons of chlorine gas.The site consists of two plants: one is a joint venture plant with INEOS Inovyn, each holding a 50% stake, mainly producing caustic soda and chlorine gas; the other is an EDC production plant, whose produced EDC will be transported to Vynova's Wilhelmshaven plant for the production of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), a raw material for polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Overseas Macroeconomic Market Information

【Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China's Position and Policy on the Peninsula Issue Have Always Maintained Continuity and Stability】

According to the Beijing Daily, on December 22, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian hosted a regular press conference. A reporter from Russia Today (RT) asked that after the 11th China-ROK Vice Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue, what specific diplomatic strategies or frameworks has China proposed to promote the relaxation of relations between the DPRK and the ROK?

Lin Jian stated that we have released information about the 11th High-Level Strategic Dialogue between the foreign ministries of China and the ROK. He pointed out that China's position and policy on the Peninsula issue have always maintained continuity and stability, and China will continue to play a constructive role in its own way to uphold peace and stability on the Peninsula and advance the political settlement process of the Peninsula issue.

【UK Economic Growth Slows in Q3, but Falling Savings Rate Indicates Easing Consumer Caution】

UK consumers reduced their savings in the third quarter, suggesting that the cautious sentiment that has been restraining economic growth may be easing.

The Office for National Statistics said on Monday that the proportion of disposable income saved by consumers fell to 9.5% in the three months to the end of September, down from 10.2% in the second quarter. Real household disposable income per capita fell by 0.8%.

The report also confirmed that following strong growth in the first half of the year, economic growth slowed to 0.1% in the third quarter. Economic growth in the second quarter was 0.2%, lower than the initial estimate of 0.3%.

In recent years, due to a series of shocks and double-digit inflation rates straining UK household finances, the savings rate has remained at a historically high level. This has severely dragged down economic growth and led to a huge contrast between UK consumption and that of the US.

【Director of the Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce Answers Reporters' Questions on the Preliminary Ruling of the Countervailing Investigation into Imported Related Dairy Products Originating from the EU】

The Ministry of Commerce stated that China has always used trade remedy measures in a prudent and restrained manner. Since 2025, China has not initiated any new trade remedy investigations against the EU, and has only made final rulings on three anti-dumping cases involving brandy, copolymerized polyoxymethylene, and pork.

However, during the same period, the EU has imposed preliminary anti-dumping duties on 18 trade remedy cases against China, final anti-dumping duties on 18 cases, and initiated 15 trade remedy investigations, including 3 new investigations against China in a single day last Friday (December 19).

China's position of opposing the abuse of trade remedy measures remains unchanged, and it is willing to properly handle trade frictions with the EU through dialogue and consultation, and jointly safeguard the overall situation of China-EU economic and trade cooperation.

【Ministry of Commerce: Impose Provisional Countervailing Measures on Imported Related Dairy Products Originating from the EU】

Ministry of Commerce Announcement: The investigating authority has preliminarily determined that there are subsidies on imported related dairy products originating from the EU, that China's domestic related dairy product industry has suffered material injury, and that there is a causal relationship between the subsidies and the material injury.

In accordance with the recommendations of the Ministry of Commerce, the Tariff Commission of the State Council has decided to impose provisional countervailing measures on imported related dairy products originating from the EU in the form of provisional countervailing duty deposits starting from December 23, 2025.

【Argentina's Foreign Direct Investment Sees Negative Growth for the First Time in 22 Years】

Argentine consulting firm PxQ recently released a report stating that Argentina's foreign direct investment (FDI) saw negative growth for the first time in 22 years in 2025.

The report said that based on data recently released by the Central Bank of Argentina, Argentina's FDI was negative US$1.52 billion in the January-November period of 2025, the first negative growth since 2003.

The main reason for the negative growth of FDI is the large number of multinational enterprises withdrawing from the Argentine market or selling their businesses in Argentina to local enterprises.

【Goldman Sachs Expects Bull Market to Expand in 2026, but Returns May Be Lower Than in 2025】

Goldman Sachs expects that as the bull market expands, global stock markets will deliver positive returns in 2026, but predicts that index returns will be lower than those in 2025.

Goldman Sachs forecasts that stock market returns denominated in US dollars will be 13% (15% including dividends), driven mainly by earnings growth rather than valuation increases.

Goldman Sachs pointed out that the sustained expansion of the global economy and the Federal Reserve's moderate easing policy support this outlook. The company expects the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by 25 basis points each in March and June next year.

Price Information

The central parity rate of RMB against the US dollar was reported at 7.0572, down 22 basis points; the central parity rate of the previous trading day was 7.0550, the official closing price of the previous trading day was 7.0410, and the overnight closing price was 7.0408.

【US Dollar Market Prices of Upstream Raw Materials】

CFR Northeast Asia: $745/ton; CFR Southeast Asia: $725/ton.

The average FOB price of propylene in Northeast Asia in South Korea reached $710/ton, and the average CFR price in China reached $742/ton.

CIF prices of refrigerated cargo in North Asia: propane $511-$513/ton; butane $566-$568/ton.

CIF prices of refrigerated cargo arriving in South China in early January: propane $569-$579/ton; butane $559-$569/ton.

CIF prices of refrigerated cargo in Taiwan region: propane $511-$513/ton; butane $566-$568/ton.

【US Dollar Market Prices of LLDPE】

Film grade: $730-$745/ton (CFR Huangpu); Injection molding grade: $870/ton (CFR Huangpu).

【US Dollar Market Prices of HDPE】

Film grade: $870/ton (CFR Huangpu); Injection molding grade: $770/ton (CFR Huangpu); Blow molding grade: $795-$805/ton (CFR Huangpu); Pipe grade: $1,000/ton (CFR Huangpu).

【US Dollar Market Prices of LDPE】

Film grade: $940-$950/ton (CFR Huangpu); Coating grade: $1,050-$1,180/ton (CFR Qingdao).

【US Dollar Market Prices of PP】

Injection molding grade: $770/ton (CFR Huangpu); Copolymer grade: $830-$855/ton (CFR Nansha); Film grade: $970-$990/ton (CFR Huangpu); Transparent grade: $1,090/ton (CFR Dongguan, arriving in January); Pipe grade: $1,100/ton (CFR Shanghai).