Thermal Coal Prices

Thermal coal prices averaged USD 104.44 per metric ton in October, down 0.1% from September. On 31 October, the commodity traded at USD 104.15 per metric ton, down 1.9% from 30 September.

From late July to mid-September, Australian thermal coal prices trended down to hit near multi-year lows. However, these lower prices stoked import demand from Asian countries, the main consumers of Australian thermal coal. This, in turn, has helped prices stabilize in recent weeks, as there is a lag between when cargo is booked and when it is delivered. Still, recent data suggests the rally is unlikely to be long-lived: China, India, Japan and South Korea all cut thermal coal imports in October.