9 – Minority interests

There were lower minority interests in profits in the third quarter of 2015 compared with the same period of the previous year mainly at WINGAS GmbH, based in Kassel, Germany, and at BASF Total Petrochemicals LLC, based in Port Arthur, Texas. In the period from January to September 2015, both companies contributed substantially to the year-on-year rise in minority interests in profits through earnings increases in the first two quarters.

Minority interests in losses in the first three quarters of the current year arose particularly at Shanghai BASF Polyurethane Company Ltd., based in Shanghai, China. In the previous year, companies active in natural gas trading were the main contributors to minority interests in losses.