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Article: Asian Crisis Weakens Soda Ash Sales But High Caustic Prices Help Market.
- Article from:
- Chemical Market Reporter
- Article date:
- June 8, 1998
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1998 Schnell Publishing Company, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE SODA ASH MARKET continues to show the strain of the Asian economic crisis. Demand is down, especially in Asia, which consumes 45 percent of US exports and about 15 percent of total US production.
Natural soda ash production in March reached its lowest point since February 1997, at 786,000 metric tons, 9 percent lower than the previous month's total, according to the US Geological Survey. Ending inventories were 327,000 tons, 5 percent lower than February's inventories.
Almost all soda ash producers point to the Asian crisis and reduced exports to the region as the main culprits for the industry's slowdown. "Asia is the big driver," a producer notes.
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