Exhibit 99



UNION CARBIDE
NEWS RELEASE


CONTACT:   Sean S. Clancy
          (203) 794-6976


             UNION CARBIDE COMMENTS ON FIRST QUARTER EARNINGS


     DANBURY, Conn., March 30 -- Union Carbide Chairman and CEO William
H. Joyce today said that first quarter earnings will be higher than the
current First Call estimate of $0.54 and should be more in line with
the $0.68 earned in the fourth quarter of 1999.


     Carbide said it would issue a full earnings report on May 1, 2000.


     Cautionary Statement for Purposes of the "Safe Harbor" Provisions
             Of the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995

     The statement above regarding first quarter earnings per share is a
forward-looking statement.  Naturally, forward-looking statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties.  Important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those discussed in such
forward-looking statements include: the supply/demand balance for the
corporation's products; customer inventory levels; competitive pricing
pressures; raw material availability and costs; changes in industry
production capacities and operating rates; currency exchange rates;
interest rates; global economic conditions; disruption in transportation
facilities; competitive technology positions; failure by the corporation
to achieve technology objectives, achieve cost reduction targets or
complete projects on schedule and on budget; and an inability to obtain
new customers or retain existing ones.

                                   - END -
2000
P3-01-005