U.S. Chemical Stocks Drop Over 5% After 7% Rise in 5 Days

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE: LYB), a leading U.S. petrochemical company, plunged 5.48% on the New York Stock Exchange on the 5th, closing at $73.50. Its market capitalization slid to approximately $23.7 billion—around ₩33 trillion—wiping out about $1.2 billion in value in a single day, equivalent to roughly ₩1.7 trillion.

In its first-quarter report released last week, the company posted revenue of about $7.2 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $0.30 to $0.40. While revenue missed expectations, adjusted EPS beat market forecasts, and management emphasized the cost advantages of its North American facilities amid supply disruptions triggered by the Middle East conflict. In February, LyondellBasell slashed its quarterly dividend by nearly 99%, acknowledging deteriorating market conditions. The stock had rallied roughly 7.3% over the previous five trading days—adding about $1.6 billion to its market cap—leading to valuation pressure and profit-taking.

LyondellBasell is a top-tier global petrochemical and plastics producer with large complexes in the U.S. and Europe, manufacturing polyolefins, fuels, and chemical intermediates. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, and Rotterdam, Netherlands, the company is highly sensitive to crude oil and natural gas prices, as well as global economic and geopolitical risks.