During the week ending June 16, metallurgical coke prices in the Chinese domestic market have mostly indicated a downward trend, though remaining stable in Pingdingshan, Henan Province, while transaction activity in the overall market has been at low levels. As of June 9, coke futures contract (1709) offers at Dalian Commodity Exchange closed at RMB 1,541/mt ($226/mt), up $18/mt week on week. Average coke prices in the local Chinese market are presented in the following table.
During the given week, coking plants' capacity utilization rates have risen slightly, resulting in a small rise in coke inventories, while coking coal prices have softened, exerting a negative impact on coke prices. At the same time, steelmakers' coke inventories have been on the high side and so they have been unwilling to conclude purchases. However, with cokes futures prices moving on an upward trend, coke producers are more optimistic on the prospects for the coke market, especially as the producers are unlikely to raise their capacity utilization rates. It is thought that coke prices in the Chinese domestic market will move sideways or even rebound in the coming week.
| Product name | Specification | Place of origin | Price (RMB/mt) | Price ($/mt) | Weekly change (RMB/mt) |
| Coke | Second grade | Hancheng, Shaanxi | 1,550 | 228 | ↓50 |
| Zibo, Shandong | 1,600 | 235 | ↓50 | ||
| Pingdingshan, Henan | 1,625 | 239 | 0 | ||
| Tangshan | 1,630 | 239 | ↓50 | ||
| Huaibei, Anhui | 1,760 | 258 | ↓40 | ||
| Average | 1,633 | 240 | ↓38 |
17 percent VAT is included in all prices and all prices are ex-warehouse.
$1 = RMB 6.81