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Europe

Clariant CEO plays down speculation of plastics unit sale

ZURICH (Reuters) -- Clariant's Chief Executive Hariolf Kottmann has doused speculation the Swiss specialty chemical maker could soon unload its plastics and coatings business and use the proceeds to buy a big, faster-growing target.

BASF foam chemical plant suffers further setback

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -- BASF has suffered a further setback at its Ludwigshafen plant which makes materials for soft foams used in mattresses and car seats, saying a technical defect in a new reactor would reduce output into next year.

Oil slips further below $56 on report of US inventory jump

LONDON (Reuters) -- Oil slipped further below $56 a barrel on Wednesday as an industry report showing a large rise in US crude inventories signaled ample supply, even as OPEC achieves record compliance with its supply-cut accord.

Field narrows in bidding for Italy's TotalErg petrol stations

MILAN/LONDON (Reuters) -- The field of prospective bidders for the Italian petrol station network belonging to Total and Italian energy group Erg has narrowed, leaving only a handful of interested parties undertaking due diligence checks on the business, sources familiar with the matter said.

Rosneft faces $100-MM bill to boost safety at Bashneft refineries

MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Russia's top oil producer Rosneft will have to spend up to $100 million to improve standards at ageing refineries it bought last year, industry sources have told Reuters.

China steps up Russian oil imports as teapots buy Urals crude

MOSCOW/SINGAPORE (Reuters) -- Russian crude imports to China have risen in early 2017 as the country's independent, or teapot, refiners have expanded their diet to include the Urals grade, trade sources said on Tuesday.

BP to fuel McLaren F1 team after ExxonMobil split

LONDON (Reuters) -- BP and its Castrol brand will supply the McLaren Formula One team with fuel and lubricants this season in addition to rivals Renault.

Oil rises on signs of widespread OPEC deal compliance

LONDON (Reuters) -- Oil prices rose about $1 on Friday after reports that OPEC members delivered more than 90% of the output cuts they pledged in a landmark deal that came into force in January.

Rosneft's Volga refineries in limbo over tax reform, low oil prices

MOSCOW (Reuters) -- Some of the domestic refineries of Russia's largest oil producer Rosneft have been hit hard by tax reforms and weaker oil prices, putting a strain on profits, sources and analysts told Reuters on Friday.

UK grocer first in Europe to use new trucks fueled by food waste

ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) -- A British supermarket has become the first retailer in Europe to use a new type of tank that keeps trucks motoring on fuel made from food waste for 500 miles, almost twice the current average.