An excellent new report from Citi's commodities team suggests the US supply/demand balance for crude oil is undergoing fundamental change. Importantly, they also argue that the concept of 'peak oil is being buried', and add: "The belief that global oil...

January was not a great month for auto sales in the 3 major markets of the USA, EU and China. These amount to over 50% of global auto sales, and are a key indicator of underlying consumer demand. As the...

This time last year, the petchem industry stood on the edge of an unseen precipice. Life seemed good. Prices were racing ahead and demand appeared buoyant. But in reality the buyers were only buying forward to protect margins, whilst end-user...

Greece's debt default saga seems never-ending. And it is tempting to hope that it only matters to those suffering in Greece and the PIIGS countries (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain). But a look at auto sales trends since 2005 gives...

As promised, the blog looks today at the performance of US polyethylene (PE) exporters in Brazil. It was the fastest-growing of the major markets in 2011, as the wider economy benefitted from China's demand. Since 2008, Brazil's PE net imports...

US petchem producers are planning a major boost to ethylene capacity. They now have the 2nd cheapest feedstock in the world, due to ethane from shale gas. The only question is, where will they sell their product? Ethylene, of course,...

China's bank lending fell 7% in 2011, following a 17% decline in 2010. As the chart shows (red column), the government is clearly trying to stabilise the position, after the panic increase in lending in 2008/2009. (January lending, impacted by...

Over the past 18 months, the main investment analysts have argued that high oil prices would have no impact on the global economy. Now, new forecasts suggest their optimism has been misplaced. The chart above gives the International Energy Agency's...

Mahathir Mohamad is one of the Grand Old Men of the Asian political establishment. He was Malaysian premier from 1981 - 2003, and led its rapid modernisation and economic growth. Over the period, which included the Asian financial crisis, the...

Russia has been the great exception in regional chemical markets. Normally, production growth starts at a high level, often 15% a year or more, and then slows as markets become more mature. But in Russia, output collapsed with the Berlin...

Last April, China's polyester market provided an early warning signal that the current downturn was about to start. Now, it is flagging an important change in relative positions within the value chain. 9 months ago, the divergence between crude oil...

Short-term pressures have come to dominate financial markets in recent years. In turn, they have become dominated by high-frequency trading, which frequently accounts for over 60% of all market action. Their trading is not based on careful analysis, but on...

Dow Chemical is usually optimistic. 6 months ago, for example, it reported that "our transformed portfolio, underpinned by our cost-advantaged and flexible operations, is now performing at a new level." Last week, however, Dow reported that Q4 operating rates were...

The blog, like many readers, has become rather fond of the IeC Boom/Gloom Index since it was launched in June 2009. The aim to was to track market sentiment, and it continues to perform this task. It also throws up...

The US housing market was the original cause of the current financial crisis. It has gone quiet recently, but this does not mean that the problems are resolved. Quite the opposite, in fact. True, foreclosures have slowed recently, due to...

INX International Ink, INX Digital International and SAKATA INX will demonstrate a global presence

Showcases innovative products for flexible packaging printers

Next generation of solvent-based packaging inks for the North American flexo confectionery market

Cites specific examples of how its products, services and projects are helping customers improve their environmental impact

Phasing out lead chromate pigments by the end of 2014

High-accuracy printhead with the first use of MEMS technology at Konica Minolta

Running four regional printable electronics workshops in March and April 2012

Sales up marginally while net income declines

Assets and services include those formerly designed and managed by Bigler Specialty Oil, the predecessor to Resolute Oil

Running four regional printable electronics workshops in March and April 2012

Designed to convey Bordeaux history in digital inkjet business and strong commitment to quality and precision

Products ranging from printing plates, sleeves and adapters, and packaging and narrow web inks

Jonathan Graunke will present in one of the key sessions

Standard is used to determine the color and transparency conformance of 4-color lithographic printing inks.

Ninety percent of Siegwerk printing inks contain renewable, vegetable-based raw materials

Unfortunately, many employees across the United States see the writing on the wall when it comes to their opportunities for advancement within the company they work for. Older workers are...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The new year is rapidly approaching and for many, the new year signifies a new beginning. The job market hasn’t been the kindest in recent years, and numerous individuals have been left dealing...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

You know what your skills are, but do you know which skills employers are looking for? Match your potential with the right graduate job! By now you have read thousands of tips and suggestions on how...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

In this day and age, jobs are scarce. You may find yourself looking for work for many months before something comes up. If and when an interview opportunity does come up many people make the mistake...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The job market is hard these days, and nearly all interested in obtaining a job are having to polish and re-polish their resumes and increase their education just to have a shot at getting an...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

The president has been campaigning all over the country for his jobs bill. However, at least one business leader can’t wait for Congress to do something about the jobs situation. Starbucks, the...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Everyone knows that the economy has flatlined most of the job market. However, very few people have actually considered how the economy has changed the face of the job market forever. If the economy...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Online colleges have long been in question for the type of education that they offer to individuals. For years, colleges and universities that solely offered courses online carried the stigma that...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Are you looking to change careers or can’t decide which career path is right for you? Career surveys are a quick and easy way to determine your best career options that are tailored to your specific...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Very cool selection of menu bar items for OSX

[livemark:http://www.macupdate.com/]

Facebook Marketing with Special Guest Shama Hyder

When you join an organization, you don’t enter the door thinking about your next job change. You enter the door feeling enthusiastic, eager and ready to prove yourself. Somewhere along the line,...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

Russian, American, and British teams prepare to explore lakes deep under Antarctica’s glaciers

Nuclear Accident: Drifting isotopes increased soil radioactivity by at most 10%

Neurochemistry: Sugar-protein interaction helps control memory

Government: Fiscal 2013 budget shows Administration’s commitment to science and education

Catalysis: Carbon, alumina supports boost selectivity and stability

Informex: Merger, Asia news revealed at trade show in New Orleans

Energy: License is issued for first new U.S. nuclear power plant in 34 years

Assets For Sale: Energy Conversion Devices declares bankruptcy

Environment: International initiative seeks to reduce emissions of methane, black carbon, and HFCs

Nanomedicine: Spring-loaded structures target cancer cells with deadly cargo

Health Effects: Agency says current exposures are not a health risk

Dioxins: Dow is also offering to buy 50 properties near its manufacturing site

Clinical Diagnostics: A cheap assay could diagnose liver damage in resource-strapped settings

Structural Biology: NMR spectroscopy proves the existence of an alternative to Watson-Crick base pairing

Neurochemistry: Sugar-protein interaction helps control memory formation, study shows

Catalysis: Carbon, alumina supports boost selectivity and stability

Nanofabrication: A simple, cheap, and scalable way to produce nanomembranes for flexible devices

Government: Fiscal 2013 budget shows Administration’s commitment to science and education

Clean Energy: Independent audit finds loans less risky than previous estimates but seeks better program oversight

Cellular Delivery: Boronates home in on membrane sugars to ship proteins into cells

Caribbean: Firms are the latest to try to make chemicals on the island nation

Food Chemistry: Researchers think controlling the type and amount of the chemicals could lead to more stomach-friendly brews

Pollution: Norwegian team proposes connection between increasing pH in lake waters and bioavailability of mercury

Technology Theft: Chinese-owned firm, former DuPont employees indicted

Pharmaceuticals: More molecules enter late-stage pipeline under biotech-like approach to research

Prosecution: Former Penn State researcher is accused of misusing $3 million in federal grants

Project is intended to meet rising demand for lithium-ion batteries

Neuroscience: Some mouse olfaction receptors need the help of copper, study shows

Finalists: Student projects show value of investing in science education

Plastics: Purchase of Old World Industries’ ethylene glycol plant brings a needed raw material

Metal-organics: Synthetic compound possesses key yet uncommon nanoparticle feature

EPA: New values may lead to tighter regulation in drinking water and air, but no additional cleanup at Superfund sites

Honors: Engineering Academy selects 76 new members, including 20 people who work in areas of chemistry

Energy: Nuclear Regulatory Commission approves construction of the first new nuclear power plant in the U.S. in three decades

Nanofabrication: To spot gas at concentrations of parts per billion, researchers make arrays of millions of nanoelectromechanical chemical sensors

Materials Science: Electrochemical cell removes sodium and chloride ions from water

Technology Theft: Chinese-owned firm, former DuPont employees are indicted

Enforcement: Dover Chemical to pay $1.4 million to settle claims that it violated toxic substances law

Nanomaterials: Cheap method uses carbon nanotubes as frame to build wires around

Neuroscience: Some olfaction receptors need the help of copper, research shows

Energy: Project is intended to meet rising demand for lithium-ion batteries

Bioanalytics: Device detects intact, live viruses within minutes

Antiterrorism: Republicans say federal initiative aimed at chemical facilities has been mismanaged

Drug Delivery: Nanoclusters enable injectable suspensions of proteins

Contamination: Eleven shipments to U.S. test positive for banned fungicide

Latest job cuts will eliminate 7,300 positions, including some 2,200 in R&D;

Fourth Quarter: Chemical firms blame inventory destocking for poor finish in 2011

Catalysis: Iron compound could supplant more expensive catalysts

Specialties: Eastman will see strategic, geographic, and financial gains from the purchase

Biochemistry: Molecule’s metabolic effects result from acting directly on phosphodiesterases, not sirtuins

Science Policy: Federal advisory board urges heavy redaction of H5N1 avian flu papers

Raw Materials: Panel says China unfairly limits export of components for manufacturing

Scientists search for the compounds responsible for unexplained deaths

Congress: Harris seeks defense of 2010 editorial on hydraulic fracturing

Fuel-Cell Catalysis: A single layer of bimetallic nanoparticles on graphene speeds oxygen reduction

Microbiology: Together, two molecules help fungi figure out when to release spores

Intellectual Property: Prosecutors charge that DuPont’s titanium dioxide technology was stolen at behest of government officials

Craig Grimes is accused of misusing $3 million in federal research funds

Researchers shed light on red wine compound’s biochemical target

Exploration: Spacecraft detects atoms from beyond our solar system’s boundaries

Nanotechnology: New combination technique shows promise for spotting single-walled carbon nanotubes in the environment

Health Care: Public and private groups get a road map for 2020

Science Policy: Federal advisory board urges heavy redaction to H5N1 avian flu papers

Biomedical Science: Researchers use small molecules to coax muscle cells into reverting to stemlike cells with hopes of scar-free wound healing

Contamination: Eleven shipments from Brazil, Canada test positive for illegal fungicide

Molecular Structure: Detailed view of cancer-related cytochrome P450 could aid drug design

Diagnostics: Acquisition would create a leading manufacturer of gene-sequencing instruments

State Of The Union: Jobs, clean energy, tax reform top Obama’s election-year agenda

Cellulosic Ethanol: Joint venture targets early profits, multiple locations

Nanofiltration: New carbon-based materials could improve versatility of ultrathin membranes

Report: State investigator alleges safety and training breakdown at UCLA

Forecast: Report predicts growth for domestic oil, gas, and renewables, and a decline for coal

Acquisitions: Eastman says the purchase will be immediately beneficial to earnings

Prebiotic Chemistry: Experiments reveal a possible path to forming the sugar in RNA

Commercial Product Analysis: Because of TiO₂’s high levels in candy, children ingest more of the whitener than adults

Biopharmaceuticals: Crowded protein nanoclusters produce highly concentrated, injectable suspensions of the drugs

Targeting RNA: Small molecule binds to trinucleotide repeats associated with Huntington’s disease

Nanomaterials: A simple lithography method allows control over the size and arrangement of nanocrystals

Chemical Ecology: Madagascar frogs use volatile small molecules to communicate

Lab Safety: State investigator’s report alleges a breakdown in safety and training

RNAi Therapeutics: One-third of staff will be laid off as firm focuses on putting drugs into clinical trials

Researchers challenge a sensational claim, while others revisit arsenic biochemistry

Bureaucracy: Reorganization plan faces skepticism in Congress

Manufacturing: Partner Metabolix will lose access to commercial-scale facility, feedstocks

Plastics: Vinyls firm calls takeover offer ‘opportunistic’

Metabolomics: Researchers discover a metabolite associated with chronic pain from tissue injury

Protein Engineering: Researchers make, modify key player in Alzheimer’s disease

Materials: Cycloaddition chemistry yields hybrid metal oxide materials

Pharmaceuticals: Continuous-flow synthesis produces antimalarial at low cost

Science Policy: Federal report shows Asian countries closing in on U.S. leadership in science and engineering

Biofuels: Little research has occurred on the effects of biofuel use on biodiversity and human health, scientists find

Medical Diagnostics: A microfluidic device that separates rare cells could help diagnose cancer

Microfluidics: A simple approach makes paper-based labs-on-a-chip watertight

Medical Diagnostics: Researchers convert device for monitoring diabetes into one that can spot hepatitis B

Surface Science: Changing the coating on silver nanoparticles alters the toxicity to mouse cells

Materials Science: Photoluminescent nanoparticles emerge from cheap carbon fibers

Profession: By the end of 2011, the society counted more than 164,000 chemists on its rolls

NSF Grants: Report tries to address confusion over funding proposal evaluations

Agency head of research will move back to Yale University after two years of political heat.

Climate Change: Plants may fuel aerosol formation more quickly than realized

Environment: Government may have second thoughts about shutting a p-xylene facility

Pharmaceuticals: Biotech executives are bullish at this year’s J. P. Morgan health care event

Cleantech: New owner will bring its approach to making biofuels

Medicinal Chemistry: Complexes with densely arrayed bioactive groups show improved anticancer activity

Structural Biology: Arrangement of proteasome’s components provides clues to function

Nanomaterials: RNA molecules direct drug-loaded nanoparticles into prostate cancer cells

Revival Plan: Waste woody biomass would be transformed into jet fuel

Biofuel Cells: Centimeter-sized device generates electricity from insect sugars

Biosensors: Mixtures of receptors with different affinities enable expansion of dynamic range

Computational chemistry: Model predicts insulating spiral-chain O₄ structure at high pressures

Investment: Corporate money may speed commercialization of biomass-to-feedstock technologies

Organic Synthesis: Four starting materials plus 12 steps in one pot yield bioactive agents

Antiterrorism: Top Republican says Homeland Security officials misled Congress

Medicinal Chemistry: Family of small molecules can enter the brain and counteract organophosphate poisons

CSB Investigation: Five workers die in dust explosions, OHSA urged to issue safety regulations

Hazard Analysis: Industry group cites new law to justify its request

Battery Materials: Carbon nanoparticles could form cheap supercapacitor electrodes

Federal Aid: Congress refuses to renew tariffs, tax breaks

Biosafety: Lab-made bird flu has WHO ‘deeply concerned’

Organic Synthesis: Four starting materials plus 12 steps in one pot, et voilà—bioactive agents

Mass Spectrometry: Electrospray ionization provides a fast analysis of the dynamic process

Neuroscience: Gated protein renders naked mole rats insensitive to low pH

Biological NMR: A new way to remove unwanted signals could make analyzing complex biological samples easier

Publishing: Researchers, journals consider federal request to censor recipe for contagious flu

Antitrust: Arkema complaint leads to scrutiny of refrigerants market

Takeda, Merck & Co., Eli Lilly & Co., AstraZeneca move to gain access to oncology drug candidates.

Genetic Engineering: Zinc finger nucleases induce duplications, inversions of DNA sequences

Discovery could lead to longer-lasting hip implants

Clean Air: New regulation requires power plants to cut mercury, other toxic substances

Lab Safety: UC system, professor face felony counts in death of Sheri Sangji

Plant security: Dire assessment of anti-terrorism program for chemical facilities contradicts Homeland Security officials’ assurances

Lab Safety: UC system, professor face felony counts in death of Sheri Sangji

Regulations: EPA issues new mercury, toxic air emissions rule

Nanotechnology: Alumina nanotubes allow molecules to sneak through cell membranes

Controversy: NIH Board asks journals to omit key details of contagious flu recipes

Hazard Assessment: ACC asks agency to revise TCDD document due to newly passed legislation

Climate Change: All carriers taking off or landing in European Union have to limit greenhouse gases, court rules

Antitrust: Arkema complaint leads to scrutiny of who will control the market for next-generation auto refrigerants

Nanomaterials: Researchers examine nanoparticle degradation in salt solutions

Federal Funding: House and Senate clear spending package that includes nine outstanding appropriations bills

Firm will pay $400 million for Reata Pharmaceutical's preclinical drug candidates

Microbiology: Cyanobacteria do have a complete tricarboxylic acid cycle

Government: Sparks fly among NRC commissioners

Politics: Partisan maneuvering in Congress threatens final 2012 spending bill

Chemical Forecast: Bright spots are overshadowed by Europe’s debt crisis and U.S. housing market

Climate Change: Treaty would include all major greenhouse gas emitters, not just industrialized countries

Molecular Biology: Helical cationic peptides bring genes to cells efficiently

Investor day: Firm aims for 12% annual earnings growth fueled by integration of Danisco

Medical Imaging: With the help of two peptides, new nanoprobes cross the blood-brain barrier

Battery Materials: Tiny porous germanium particles hold promise for high-energy batteries

Medical Imaging: A new imaging probe could help reveal metabolic differences between normal and diseased tissue

Microbiology: Cyanobacteria do have a complete tricarboxylic acid cycle

Climate Change: Countries agree to include all major greenhouse gas emitters, not just industrialized ones, in a possible new treaty

Solar Energy: Paint-on solar cells would be cheap and easy to make

Research: IBM contributes information on more than 2.4 million compounds to NIH chemical database

Medical Diagnostics: Chip identifies pathogens in minutes, not days

Forecast: Bright spots such as shale gas can’t offset problems in Europe and the U.S. housing market

Materials Science: Researchers manipulate limestone chemistry to increase its capacity for trapping carbon dioxide

Research: Federal sequencing effort shifts funds to clinical applications

Chemical Synthesis: Strategically placed substituents cause bond to break

Congress: House passes bills to restrict federal rule-making

Pharmaceuticals: Beijing will be U.S. firm’s R&D; headquarters in Asia

Honeywell, J.R. Simplot join to make nitrogen-rich product with no explosive potential

Funding: British government looks to support the life sciences industry

Medicinal Chemistry: Mild methods provide access to new pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals

Emissions: Rule now targets only the subset of industrial boilers with the highest pollution outputs

Biochemistry: Small tweaks to the agouti-related protein could help cancer and AIDS patients gain weight

Medicinal Chemistry: Small molecules that release sulfur dioxide could stop the growth of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis

Drug Delivery: Magnets steer drug-laden nanoparticles to tumors

Biological Imaging: Functionalized nanoparticles light up upon entering cells

Air Pollution: Air concentrations of the brominated chemicals doubled every 13 months in recent years in Cleveland and Chicago

Honeywell, J.R. Simplot to make nitrogen-rich product with low explosive potential

Drug Delivery: A weak electric field triggers an injectable gel to release drugs

Drug Discovery: Computer-assisted design leads to synthesis of a potent anti-HIV compound

Strategy: Firm targets high-margin businesses and emerging markets

Germany’s Merck sues social-networking website for confusing it with U.S.-based Merck.

Report: Experts cite limitations of applying toxic fungi on illicit crops

Paleoproteomics: Method detects an unprecedented number of proteins in bone of a woolly mammoth

Protein Design: Mimic narrows efficiency gap with natural enzyme

Government: Targeted inspections of chemical facilities aim to prevent serious accidents

Germany’s Merck sues social-networking website for confusing it with U.S.-based Merck.

Toxic Emissions: Narrowed rule targets the largest boilers that emit the most pollution

Molecular Biology: Techniques pinpoint zinc finger nucleases’ unintended genomic cuts

Collaboration: San Diego hosts the drugmaker’s latest partnership

Microscopy: Fluorescent proteins that turn on and off many more times than usual improve superresolution methods

Biochemistry: Damaged DNA building block hints at the origins of life’s redox catalysts

Geological Sciences: Preserved mineral inclusions yield new insights on deep-mantle geologic processes

Innovation: Revised law gives patent office more control over its funding

Mechanochemistry: Ultrasound tugs on triazole to trigger cycloreversion reaction

Alliance: Charitable mission underlies U.K., Russian business

ACS Meeting News: In spirited research, chemists use brand-name liquors as solvents for organic syntheses

Public Outreach: Funds will be used to communicate chemistry’s excitement and value to society

Environment: Authorities to shut independent aromatics producer

Alternative Energy: Biomass could heat homes and reduce carbon emissions

Pharmaceuticals: Ruling protects exclusivity for blockbuster drug until 2019

Fluid Mechanics: Shift in particle shape suppresses vexing effect

Study uncovers two mechanisms that control spontaneous emission fluctuations

Persistent Pollutants: Four-month cruise finds traces of endosulfan and five other widely used pesticides

Microbiology: Compounds block bacterial production of biofilm, weakening the microbes

Strategy: Firm targets 6% sales growth from high-margin businesses and emerging markets

Nanomaterials: Combining carbon nanotubes with a polymer reduces the amount of nanotubes needed to kill bacteria

Craft will probe the red planet’s ability to support life

Health And Safety: Agency will draft rules to help make information about hydraulic fracturing mixtures available to public

Oil Toxicity: Arctic marine species are no more sensitive to crude oil than temperate species are

Carbon Emissions: Laptops, televisions, and other devices emit more than household appliances do

Cellular Imaging: Microfluidic chip traps thousands of cells at once to help researchers catch a glimpse of rare cellular events

Regulation: Manufacturers must supply EPA faster with more information about their products

NMR Spectroscopy: New device allows chemists to apply pressure to proteins during NMR experiments

Stereochemical Analysis: New method quickly reveals the composition of mixtures of enantiomers of carboxylic acids

Climate Change: Under elevated CO₂ levels, rice and wheat increasingly pick up the toxic metal from contaminated soils

Medical Diagnostics: With a simple attachment, a cell phone can run diagnostic tests for diseases such as cancer A Cell

Disinfection By-Products: Medical imaging chemicals transform into toxic compounds in drinking water treated with chlorine

Climate Change: By adding a treatment step, plants handling wastewater could cut N₂O emissions

Energy Policy: Clean power from livestock waste would become economical with carbon tax

Chemical Defense: Proteomic analysis of tree frog secretions reveals both salves and weapons akin to snake venom

Proteomics: Levels of protein acetylation may change in response to feasting or fasting

Congress: House bill would require analysis of EPA rules’ impacts on the economy

Construction Chemistry: Waste from olive oil production could shrink the building material’s carbon footprint

Senate: Bipartisan deal would repeal excise tax credit, tariff

Water Pollution: A special type of mass spectrometry could help monitor the amount of oil discharged into oceans

Cultural Analysis: Scientists think that X-ray fluorescence could identify the geographical origin of these ancient texts

Air Pollution: Tailpipe controls on buses don’t clear the air inside bus cabins

Glycoprotein Analysis: Raman spectroscopy reveals a protein’s glycosylation state

Air Quality: A stable isotopic signature distinguishes unburned biofuel from ethanol emitted by vegetation

Industrial Pollutants: Scientists find that high blood levels correlate with a core feature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Pharmaceutical Ingredients: Exhibitors at CPhI China note the country’s increasing sophistication

Businesses see opportunity in adaptation, report finds

Clinical Diagnostics: Metabolites in mothers’ blood during early pregnancy could reveal growth-restricted fetuses

Food Production: Engineered meat has lower environmental impact than conventional meat, a modeling study finds

Environmental Toxins: Bacteria chemically modify BPA, making it more toxic to fish

Water Pollution: Eating fish from algae-covered lakes may expose people to toxins

Honors: Recipients win praise for innovations that promote sustainability