Uncertainty created by the coronavirus is disrupting internal logistics in China, weakening domestic demand and interrupting global trade flows as companies cancel or re-route shipments going in and out of the country, writes Morgan Condon. "Around 1.5m tonnes of [polyethylene] demand may be lost from the coronavirus outbreak if it can be controlled and downstream industries resume operations at a 70-80% rate by the second half of March," said Amy Yu of ICIS Asia Petrochemical Analytics.