OREANDA-NEWS. Global petrochemical production slowed in April, as worldwide capacity utilization slipped 0.5 percentage points to 79.4pc, down from 81pc a year ago, according to a report from the American Chemistry Council.

Activity was steady in North America and production increased in central and eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Production fell in Latin America, western Europe, and Asia. Despite lower utilization rates worldwide, production increased in most segments, with plastic resins showing the strongest performance, up 4.3pc from year-ago levels.