关键词：亚太地区；化工；原料；化妆品；塑料；肥料
摘 要：The Asia-Pacific chemical industry continued to improve over the last six months, fueled by economic recovery, higher consumer spending and improved standards of living. The total profits of the big six chemicals firms in the region grew by 187.5% during the March to June period. The average stock price of the top six chemical companies by revenues as tracked by Mergent gained 8.7% over the period from June 14, 2013 to January 17, following signs of growth in the region and improvement across commercial construction and electronics end-markets. Threats of feedstock shortages, uncertainties about the economy and slower economic growth left most investors cautious. Nevertheless, joint ventures and acquisitions remained an option for some multinational companies that looked to the region to target new opportunities and optimize their business portfolios.