11.  German chemical group BASF and Russian natural gas giant Gazprom said Wednesday they signed the biggest joint venture contract to date between the two countries.

12.  Hoeschst managing director Jens Mohr said his chemical group recently chose Singapore over Australia due to the financial incentives, including tax breaks, that country offered.

13.  Italian chemical group EniChem and the U.S. company Union Carbide on Thursday finalized a joint venture for the production of polyethylene.

14.  The German chemical group Hoechst is selling its Dortmund-based chemical plant construction unit Uhde to Krupp-Hoesch of Essen, Hoechst said Wednesday.

15.  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has given approval for the German chemical group Hoechst AG to trade on the New York Stock Exchange, the company said Friday.

16.  German chemical group Henkel has acquired American company Diversified Technology Inc., which specializes in lubricants used in the beverage can industry, Henkel announced on Tuesday.

17.  German chemical group BASF on Thursday unveiled plans to move out of two non-strategic sectors, a decision welcomed by the stock market.

18.  German chemical group Bayer is considering separating its pharmaceutical operations into a subsidiary for possible merger with another company, it said on Thursday.

19.  A spokesman for the chemical group, BASF, said it distributed antibiotics to its staff in India and asked them not to visit areas hit by the epidemic.

20.  An explosion overnight damaged the headquarters of German chemical group BASF here, police said.