1.   Chemical companies that have diversified out of commodity chemicals, like ethylene and styrene, should turn in the best earnings this quarter, Leming said.

2.   Commodity chemicals are widely used as building blocks for other chemicals and plastics.

3.   Commodity chemicals are basic chemicals -- like ethylene and benzene -- that are manufactured in large quantities at chemical complexes and priced according to supply and demand.

4.   Commodity chemicals are basic materials, often derived from petroleum, that are used as building blocks to make plastics, synthetic fibers, paints and cosmetics.

5.   In addition to its well-known branded products, DuPont makes commodity chemicals, agricultural chemicals and a range of sophisticated plastics.

6.   In commodity chemicals, prices have been down but they are beginning to bottom out.

7.   It also joins Imperial Chemical Industries Plc and other chemical makers in a shift into specialty chemicals, where returns are generally higher than from commodity chemicals.

8.   Specialty chemicals, which are made from commodity chemicals, usually are made in smaller batches and sell at higher prices than commodity chemicals.

9.   Still, many companies have sufficient product diversity this quarter to offset a slowdown in their commodity chemicals businesses, Leming said.

10.   The Danbury, Connecticut-based maker of chemicals and plastics said its third-quarter earnings more than doubled on higher prices for its commodity chemicals and plastics.