KONSTANZ, Germany – Ceresana Research has released its autumn survey of the chemical industry. The survey reveals an optimistic business climate in highly competitive markets, and reports that growing competition and considerable increases in R&D expenditures will dominate global chemical markets during the next months.

In spite of macro-economically uncertain times and the gloomy mood in many other industrial sectors, the chemical and plastic industries are optimistic about the last quarter of 2011. Approximately 40 percent of participants in the Ceresana Industry Monitor (CIM) assess their business situation in September as good.

One quarter of all surveyed companies anticipate their business situation will change for the worse over the next six to 12 months. In contrast, more than 43 percent expect an improvement. Petrochemical and manufacturers of plastics and elastomers have particularly positive expectations.

Nearly 60 percent of all surveyed companies expect demand for their products will rise over the next months. This is why the positive outlook for employees is not surprising: 35 percent of the respondents want to increase staff expenses, only 14 percent plan cutbacks.

For additional information, visit www.ceresana.com/en/cim/.