In the Bohai Economic Rim region of eastern China, the average price of 5,500 kcal/kg thermal coal stands at RMB 787/mt ($125/mt), down RMB 5/mt ($0.8/mt) week on week, declining for the 10th consecutive week, as reported by Chinese coal industry website Marine Shipping Coal.
Meanwhile, the China National Coal Association (CNCA) has stated that it expects supply and demand of coal will remain in overall equilibrium in China in the first quarter of 2012, though with some slight excess of supply.