Overall economic sentiment for U.S. chemical manufacturers moved up in Q4 2025, even as business conditions remain challenging on several fronts, according to the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) latest Chemical Manufacturing Economic Sentiment Index (ESI). Despite key indicators remaining in negative territory, the contractions in Q4 were smaller than in the previous quarter, signaling a relative improvement in activity. Moreover, optimism grew even faster than in Q3, as companies look ahead to the first half of 2026.