GLOBAL Atlantic coking coal: steady amid tightness
Prices
US coking coal prices have ended the week unchanged, as tightness in spot availability across the low volatile and high volatile segments have continued to support prices, despite some buyers holding off as they take stock of the recent price weakness in Asia-Pacific. The Argus-assessed US low volatile coal price is unchanged at $162/t fob Hampton Roads, in line with the latest cfr China deals, as any European spot requirement is fulfilled by lower-priced Australian coals. The high volatile A and B prices are stable at $156/t fob Hampton
20 | CCAI Monthly Newsletter February 2021
Roads and $137.50/t fob Hampton Roads, respectively, after rising by $1/t yesterday on the back of supply limitations. Overall spot tightness among major suppliers has meant that market indications for high-vol A remain in the mid-$150s/t, with one US miner indicatively expecting $158-160/t fob Hampton Roads if it had any volumes to offer. A European steelmaker was heard to be seeking 70,000t of April-loading high vol A for its eastern European operations, but it is unclear if this requirement has been met. A European mill recently secured a second-quarter loading high vol A cargo at a 4pc discount to the index price, but details could not be confirmed.
