Domo Chemicals Files for Bankruptcy Protection in Germany! B. Braun Launches New Supply Assurance Program

International News Guide:

Raw Material News - Domo Chemicals Files for Bankruptcy Protection in Germany!

Medical News - B. Braun Launches New Supply Assurance Program

Automotive News - Tesla’s 9 Millionth Global Electric Vehicle Rolls Off the Production Line at Shanghai Gigafactory!

Macroeconomic News - China’s Total Service Trade Volume Up 7.1% YoY in Jan-Nov

Price Information - CNY/USD Central Parity Rate Quoted at 7.0288, Up 60 Pips

International News Details:

1.EU Prepares New Recycled Plastic Import Rules for 2026 to Protect Domestic Recycling Industry

The European Commission has confirmed that it is working on a new legal framework to further tighten controls on plastic imports into the EU starting from early 2026. This move comes against the backdrop of the accelerating closure of Europe’s plastic recycling industry in recent years.

The proposed measures aim to address concerns from regulators and industry groups that the increasing import of low-cost plastic materials is undermining the competitiveness of domestic recyclers, distorting market order, and thus endangering the EU’s circular economy goals.

The initiative follows a difficult year for Europe’s recycling industry. Data from the European Plastic Recyclers Association shows that the loss of recycling capacity in 2025 exceeded any year on record. Recycling facilities in the Netherlands, Germany, and parts of Southern Europe have either closed or scaled back operations, with operators facing the dual predicament of persistently high electricity prices and shrinking profit margins.

2. B. Braun Launches New Supply Assurance Program

B. Braun announced that it has launched an industry-first initiative aimed at enhancing supply chain resilience and preventing supply disruptions in the medical device and pharmaceutical sectors from impacting patient care. The initiative is named the Supply Assurance Program.

The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based company stated that the program will ensure that the Days Inventory on Hand (DIOH) at core distributor warehouses reaches 45 days—nearly double the industry standard of 24 to 28 days. Meanwhile, B. Braun’s three owned warehouses in the United States will also maintain sufficient safety stock.

3. Tesla’s 9 Millionth Global Electric Vehicle Rolls Off the Production Line at Shanghai Gigafactory!

On December 30, Tesla announced that its 9 millionth global electric vehicle has rolled off the production line at the Shanghai Gigafactory, "adding another milestone to the coming end of 2025". The vehicle that rolled off the line is a Model Y.

Tesla’s 8 millionth global electric vehicle was produced at the Berlin Gigafactory in June 2025, also a Model Y. The time taken to go from 8 million to 9 million vehicles is only six months.

4. Domo Chemicals Files for Bankruptcy Protection in Germany!

Domo Chemicals Group announced on December 29 that it has filed for bankruptcy protection for three of its German subsidiaries: Domo Chemicals GmbH, Domo Caproleuna GmbH, and Domo Engineering Plastics GmbH.

This decision will affect approximately 585 employees, of whom 515 are based at the Leuna production site in Germany and 70 at the Premnit site of Domo Engineering Plastics in Germany. A company spokesperson stated that employee salaries will be guaranteed through insolvency benefits until the end of March.

5. 2026 SPE International Polyolefin Conference: 130 Technical Presentations + 60 Exhibitors to Map Out the Industry’s New Blueprint

The 2026 SPE International Polyolefin Conference is scheduled to be held from February 23 to 26, 2026, at the Galveston Island Convention Center in Texas, USA, a venue adjacent to the beach.

The conference is hosted by the SPE South Texas Section, co-organized by the SPE Polymer Modification & Additives Division, Thermoplastic Materials & Foams Division, Engineering Properties & Structures Division, Construction & Infrastructure Division, Applied Rheology Division, and Flexible Packaging Division.

6. France Delays Ban on Disposable Plastic Cups, Facing Opposition from Environmental Groups

Due to difficulties in finding alternatives, the French government announced on December 30 local time that it will delay the ban on disposable plastic cups by four years to 2030. The ban was originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.

A statement from the French Ministry for Ecological Transition said a new review will be conducted in 2028 to assess "progress made in replacing disposable plastic cups". The statement added that the ban will take effect on January 1, 2030, at which point businesses will have 12 months to dispose of their inventory.

Overseas Macro Market:

[Report: Trump Mobile Delays Plan to Deliver Smartphones by End of This Year]

Trump Mobile has delayed its plan to deliver its gold-colored smartphones by the end of this year. Trump Mobile’s customer service team stated that the recent US government shutdown has caused delivery delays, and shipments are "unlikely" to be made this month.

[Indonesian Nickel Smelters Association Forecasts 350 Million Tonnes of Ore Demand in 2026]

Arif Perdana Kusuma, Chairman of the Indonesian Nickel Smelters Association (FINI), said on Wednesday that the association expects local smelters’ nickel ore demand to reach approximately 340 to 350 million tonnes next year.

He stated that with the commissioning of new production capacity next year, this will mean an annual increase of about 40 to 50 million tonnes in ore demand.

[Russia Says It Will Adopt a Tougher Stance in Negotiations]

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on December 30 that following Ukraine’s attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod Oblast, Russia will adopt a tougher stance in negotiations on the Ukraine issue.

Ukraine has consistently stated that Russia’s claims about the drone attack are "completely fabricated".

[China’s Total Service Trade Volume Up 7.1% YoY in Jan-Nov]

A responsible person from the Department of Trade in Services of the Ministry of Commerce stated that from January to November, China’s service trade maintained steady growth, with the total service import and export volume reaching RMB 7.20237 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 7.1%.

Among this, exports reached RMB 3.19801 trillion, up 13.4%; imports reached RMB 4.00436 trillion, up 2.5%; and the service trade deficit stood at RMB 806.35 billion, a year-on-year decrease of RMB 279.63 billion.

[Colombian President Says US Bombed a Factory in Venezuela]

Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated on social media on December 30 that the United States has bombed a factory in Venezuela. "We know that (US President) Trump (ordered) the bombing of a factory in Maracaibo (Venezuela)," Petro wrote, suspecting that the factory was used for cocaine production.

Petro also said that this is entirely a problem of the "National Liberation Army of Colombia", but he did not provide a detailed explanation.

[NBS: Service Sector Sentiment Edges Up in December; Construction Sector Sentiment Improves Significantly]

The December Services Business Activity Index stood at 49.7%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from the previous month.

Affected by factors such as abnormally high temperatures in some southern provinces in recent days and enterprises rushing to complete construction progress ahead of the two festivals, the December Construction Business Activity Index reached 52.8%, an increase of 3.2 percentage points from the previous month, indicating a significant improvement in the construction sector’s prosperity.

[NBS: Large Enterprises’ PMI Returns to Expansionary Range in December]

The PMI for large enterprises was 50.8% in December, an increase of 1.5 percentage points from the previous month, rising above the critical point; the PMI for medium-sized enterprises was 49.8%, an increase of 0.9 percentage points from the previous month, reflecting a rebound in prosperity; the PMI for small-sized enterprises was 48.6%, a decrease of 0.5 percentage points from the previous month, indicating a slight decline in prosperity.

The December Manufacturing PMI was 50.1%, rising to the expansionary range for the first time since April. Among the 21 industries surveyed, the PMI of 16 industries rebounded from the previous month, indicating improved production and operation conditions for related enterprises.

Price Information:

The CNY/USD central parity rate is quoted at 7.0288, up 60 pips. The central parity rate of the previous trading day was 7.0348, the official closing price of the previous trading day was 6.9901, and the overnight closing price was 6.9942.

USD Market Prices of Upstream Raw Materials

Ethylene: $745/ton (CFR Northeast Asia); $725/ton (CFR Southeast Asia)

Propylene (Northeast Asia): Average $710/ton (FOB South Korea); Average $742/ton (CFR China)

Refrigerated cargo CIF prices (North Asia): Propane $556-$558/ton; Butane $611-$613/ton

Refrigerated cargo CIF prices (South China, early January): Propane $588-$598/ton; Butane $578-$588/ton

Refrigerated cargo CIF prices (Taiwan Region): Propane $556-$558/ton; Butane $611-$613/ton

LLDPE USD Market Prices

Film grade: $745/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Injection grade: $870/ton (CFR Huangpu)

HDPE USD Market Prices

Film grade: $870/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Injection grade: $770/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Hollow grade: $795-$805/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Pipe grade: $1,000/ton (CFR Huangpu)

LDPE USD Market Prices

Film grade: $940/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Coating grade: $1,050-$1,180/ton (CFR Qingdao)

PP USD Market Prices

Injection grade: $765/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Copolymer grade: $820-$850/ton (CFR Nansha)

Film grade: $970-$990/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Transparent grade: $1,000/ton (CFR Huangpu)

Pipe grade: $1,100/ton (CFR Shanghai)