Oct 23 (Reuters) - Chemicals company Dow Inc ( DOW )

posted a smaller-than-expected adjusted quarterly loss in the

third quarter on Thursday, helped by lower costs, higher volumes

from new U.S. Gulf Coast assets, and stronger demand in

industrial markets, even as global chemical prices remained

weak.

Shares of Dow were up 1.4% at $22.00 in premarket trading.

Chemical companies around the world are reassessing their

strategies in response to escalating production costs, stagnant

market demand and increasingly stringent environmental

regulations in the European Union.

Quarterly net sales from its packaging and specialty

plastics segment, its largest by revenue, fell 11.3% to $4.89

billion from a year ago.

The Michigan-based company reported an adjusted loss of 19

cents per share for the quarter ended September 30, compared

with analysts' average estimate of a loss of 29 cents, according

to data compiled by LSEG.