(ICIS) -- EU chemicals production in March increased by 4.3% year on year amid a robust first quarter for the sector, European chemicals trade group Cefic said on Friday. According to the latest Cefic chemicals trends report, production in March increased by 1% from February, while prices rose by 10.5% year on year. Production expanded by 5.3% during the first three months of 2011.
Petrochemicals production in March increased by 8.1% year on year, while basic inorganics output rose by 5.6%, Cefic said.
Consumer chemicals production in March rose by 4.5% year on year, polymers grew by the same percentage, and speciality chemicals increased by 2.2%.
Petrochemicals prices in March registered a 17.4% year-on-year increase, basic inorganics prices rose by 11.4%, plastics rose by 14.1% and consumer chemicals increased by 1.7%.