BUZZ — Westlake falls after announcing Germany PVC plant closure

* US chemical company Westlake's shares fall 3.7% to $64.36 * Westlake announces closure of its PVC plant in Cologne, Germany due to weak demand, high energy costs and increased import pressure from Asia * Closure of the facility expected to result in workforce reduction of about 120 employees * The site is expected to cease operations in the first quarter of 2027 * These actions are expected to improve the ongoing profitability of Westlake's European chlorovinyl operations, the company said * Westlake expects its third-quarter financial performance to decline sequentially * Including session's moves, stock down 13% YTD (Reporting by Tyakshi Singh in Bengaluru) ((Tyakshi.singh@thomsonreuters.com)