Rail Merger Threatens Economy Learn more

Chemical Production Regional Index

U.S. Chemical Manufacturing increase marginally in September

Following a slow start to the year, U.S. chemical production stabilized with a modest 0.1% gain in September, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

“Production increased in most regions, with the exception of Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions where production declined.” said David Lan, ACC’s Director of Economics and Statistics.

“The chemical industry is a key economic bellwether, as American manufacturing depends on chemical inputs to support production across sectors - from electronics and energy to agriculture and autos,” Lan explained.

“Elsewhere in the world, most regions saw production decline in October with Europe and South America experiencing the largest decrease,” Lan added. 

Key findings:

  • ↑ U.S. Output Stabilized: Production appears to have found a floor, though persistent headwinds from trade uncertainty and weak industrial demand limit prospects for a rebound. Gains in consumer and agricultural chemicals offset in other categories. Year-on-year, output rose 1.4%.
  • ↓ China Slowed: Chemical production in China fell by 0.1% in October as the impact of Super Typhoon Ragasa, which struck southern China in late September, lingered into early October. Despite these disruptions, exports of chemicals and electric vehicles remained strong, indicating ongoing support for production in the coming months. Year-on-year, output rose 9.7%.
  • ↓ Europe Contracts: Output dropped 0.5% in October as high energy costs and trade uncertainty continued to drive restructuring. German and French production improved slightly, while other economies weakened.
  • ↓ South America Varies: Production fell 0.5% in October amid U.S.–Brazil trade tensions and Argentina’s economic challenges. Year-on-year, output declined 1.9%.


Editor’s note: Due to the government shutdown, U.S. production data is now released one month later than other countries. To maintain consistency, we will align our global index with U.S. release dates while continuing to report the most recent trends for other regions until U.S. reporting catches up.

Additional Data