ACC下调美国化工业增长预期

Group 1: Industry Outlook - The American Chemistry Council (ACC) indicates that trade policy uncertainty and unclear end-user demand have significantly impacted the U.S. chemical industry, with a projected growth of only 0.3% in chemical production (excluding pharmaceuticals) for this year and a contraction of 0.2% expected by 2026 [1] - ACC forecasts a decline in consumer spending and business investment growth, with consumer spending expected to grow by 1.9% in 2025, down from 2.8% in 2024, and business investment growth projected at 1.7%, down from 4.0% last year [2] - The overall outlook for the chemical industry has worsened due to trade policy uncertainty, which is seen as the primary factor affecting the industry's prospects for 2025 [1][2] Group 2: Market Performance - Despite the overall downturn, certain end markets are expected to perform relatively well, with the semiconductor industry projected to grow by 7.0% this year, driven by demand for artificial intelligence applications [3] - ACC has downgraded growth forecasts for most chemical end markets, anticipating that about half of these markets will experience a decline in sales this year [3] - U.S. chemical exports are expected to decrease by 1.9%, while imports are projected to decline by 1.0%, although the U.S. is expected to maintain a trade surplus in chemicals [3]