BEIJING (Reuters) -China's commerce ministry initiated an anti-dumping investigation into pecans imported from the United States and Mexico on Thursday, signalling more global trade tensions and increased friction with the two northern American nations. Beijing's move came as Mexico proposed to raise tariffs on goods across multiple sectors including textiles, steel and automotive from China and other countries, and as China and the U.S. eye further talks in a bid to ease their trade dispute. The inves ...

Summary of Key Points from Conference Call Records Industry Overview - **Industry**: Chemical Industry, specifically focusing on MDI (Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate) and companies like DuPont and Huntsman - **Key Events**: US Department of Commerce's preliminary determination in the anti-dumping investigation of MDI from China Company-Specific Insights Huntsman Corporation (HUN) - **MDI Import Data**: Approximately 400kt of MDI was imported last year, with around 75% sourced from China [1] - **Preliminary Dumping Rates**: Covestro and Wanhua faced dumping rates of 376.12%, while other Chinese exporters faced rates of 511.75% [1] - **Future Expectations**: A favorable outcome in the investigation could lead to a final ruling by February or March next year, effective for five years [1] DuPont (DD) - **Investor Day Insights**: DuPont's business remains compelling with potential upside on a Sum-of-the-Parts (SOTP) basis [2] - **Stock Rating**: Maintained a "Buy" rating ahead of the spin-off, with a target price of $93.00, indicating a potential upside of 19.1% from the current price of $78.10 [2][29] - **Financial Flexibility**: The divestiture of the AM&C segment is expected to improve financial flexibility for share repurchases and M&A activities [2] Ecovyst (ECVT) - **Stock Rating Change**: Downgraded from "Buy" to "Neutral" following the announcement of the AM&C segment sale [2] - **Future Outlook**: The remaining Ecoservices business is expected to generate steady cash flow with high earnings predictability [2] Economic Indicators - **Housing Market**: Housing starts and building permits fell by approximately 9% and 4% month-over-month in August, indicating potential weakness in the construction sector [3] - **Retail Sales**: Retail sales increased by 0.6% month-over-month in August, exceeding expectations [9] - **Industrial Production**: Increased by 0.1% month-over-month in August, with capacity utilization remaining flat at 77.4% [9] Other Notable Developments - **LIRC Update**: Zijin Mining commenced production at the Tres Quebradas project in Argentina, with a capacity of 20ktpa LCE [9] - **OLN and Mitsui**: The Blue Water Alliance joint venture will end by the end of the year, allowing OLN to focus on long-term structural opportunities [9] - **Huntsman Product Launch**: Huntsman's Advanced Materials segment launched a new range of ARALDITE epoxy adhesives that are free from BPA and classified CMR substances [9] Market Performance - **Stock Performance YTD**: Notable declines in stock prices for companies like Huntsman (-41.0%) and Dow (-39.0%) indicate challenges in the chemical sector [30] This summary encapsulates the critical insights and developments from the conference call records, providing a comprehensive overview of the chemical industry and specific companies involved.

Shares of China's domestic legacy chipmakers, including SG Micro and 3Peak, surged on Monday after Beijing's weekend announcement of an anti-dumping investigation into imported US semiconductors. The government's probe into imported "analogue integrated-circuit (IC) chips" - widely used in home appliances, machinery and electric vehicles - marked the first-ever anti-dumping probe into imported IC products as the country makes steady progress in developing domestic alternatives for these products. Leading ...

Group 1 - European countries exhibit a sense of "victory" over China, seeking to acquire rare earth resources while simultaneously attempting to suppress China through restrictive measures, reflecting a typical "bullying" behavior of Western nations [1] - The EU Ambassador to China emphasized the urgency of resolving Europe's rare earth needs within a month, warning that failure to do so could severely impact high-level meetings between China and the EU [3] - Despite engaging in friendly talks with China, the EU has raised tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to 35% and restricted Chinese medical devices from entering the European market, indicating a dual strategy of maintaining a friendly facade while implementing sanctions [3] Group 2 - Western countries do not view China as an equal partner, focusing instead on the United States, which they regard as a dominant force, even at the cost of their own national interests [5] - European nations continue to criticize China for alleged military support to Russia, despite China's assurances of non-support, highlighting a contradiction in their diplomatic approach [5] - The historical context of Western imperialism in China contributes to a persistent arrogance among European nations, leading them to adopt aggressive commercial policies against China [7] Group 3 - In response to Europe's disregard for China's goodwill, China has implemented measures such as banning European companies from participating in government procurement projects exceeding 45 million RMB for medical devices and imposing a maximum anti-dumping tax of 34.9% on European cognac [7] - These actions signify China's shift from its historical position, showcasing its status as the world's second-largest economy and a military power capable of responding to European challenges [7]