Coal prices fall 5% in China
According to local media in
China, the average price of coal in the country seems to have bucked a three-year rising trend by falling five percent year on year so far in 2005.
The inventories of coal in various Chinese ports have grown to very high levels this year, therefore the decrease in prices is accepted as normal.
Experts insist, however, that the situation is temporary. They claim that the coal prices will go up again in 2006, when more power plants are scheduled to come on stream.
Meanwhile, the government is performing a mass standardization and consolidation in the domestic coal industry in order to prevent further coal mine accidents.