During the week ending January 16, local coke prices in China have moved sideways compared to January 9, but mills will try to implement the first round of price increases next week after the previous four rounds of declines.
First-grade coke prices in Tangshan are at RMB 1,600/mt ($228/mt) ex-warehouse, moving sideways compared to January 9, according to SteelOrbis’ data.
Prices of coke in local markets in China
| Product Name | Specification | Place of Origin | Price（RMB/mt） | Price ($/mt) | Weekly Change（RMB/mt） | Weekly Change（$/mt） |
| Coke | First grade （A<13.0,S<0.75,CSR>65.0） | Hancheng, Shaanxi | 1,500 | 214.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Zibo, Shandong | 1,635 | 233.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | ||
| Pingdingshan, Henan | 1,485 | 211.9 | 0.0 | 0.2 | ||
| Tangshan | 1,600 | 228.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 | ||
| Huaibei, Anhui | 1,535 | 219.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | ||
| Average | 1,551 | 221.3 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
including 13 percent VAT
Prices of coking coal in local markets in China
| Product Name | Specification | Place of Origin | Price（RMB/mt） | Price ($/mt) | Weekly Change（RMB/mt） | Weekly Change（$/mt） |
| Coking Coal | A9,S0.4,V19,G88 | Linfen low-sulfur primary coking coal | 1,630 | 232.6 | 120.0 | 17.3 |
| A10.5,S3,V25,G80 | Lveliang high-sulfur primary coking coal | 1,196 | 170.7 | 87.0 | 12.5 | |
| A10,S1.8,V21,G90 | Jinzhong medium-sulfur primary coal | 1,186 | 169.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | |
| A12,S1.2,V37.G90 | Linfen low-sulfur 1/3 coking coal | 1,140 | 162.7 | 0.0 | 0.1 | |
| Average | 1,288 | 183.8 | 51.8 | 7.5 |
Mainstream coking plants are attempting to raise coke prices as of January 19, while steelmakers have not responded to these attempts. Supply of coke has been steady, while increasing coking coal prices have bolstered coke prices to a certain degree. Molten iron output has decreased in the given week, weakening the support for coke demand. However, inventories of coke held by steelmakers have decreased and so they may build up stocks in the near future.
Local coking coal prices have increased slightly in the given week amid stock replenishment by downstream steelmakers. Meanwhile, other commodity prices have increased, exerting a positive impact on coking coal prices.
In addition, the tradable price for import premium hard coking coal has increased to $210-215/mt CFR, up from $200-205/mt CFR seen in the previous weeks. With the big supply disruptions from Australia, traders and Indian customers will try to book more Canadian cargoes, so Chinese mills will have to hike prices as well.
On January 16, offer prices of coke CSR65 in the export market are at $225-230/mt FOB, moving sideways compared to January 9.
As of January 16, coking coal futures at Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) are standing at RMB 1,171/mt ($167/mt), decreasing by RMB 24.5/mt ($3.5/mt) or 2.0 percent since January 9, while decreasing by 1.47 percent compared to the previous trading day, January 15. Meanwhile, coke futures prices at Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) are standing at RMB 1,717/mt ($245/mt), declining by RMB 31/mt ($4.4/mt) or 1.8 percent since January 9, while down 1.52 percent compared to the previous trading day, January 15.
$1 = RMB 7.0078