During the given week, the second round of decrease in coke prices in the Chinese domestic market has been implemented. Downstream steelmakers' maintenances resulted in the rises in coking plants' inventories, which exerted a negative impact on coke prices. The demand for coke from steelmakers is expected to be sluggish due to the ongoing traditional off-season for steel. It is expected that coke prices in the Chinese domestic market will likely move sideways in the coming week, but some mills have been waiting for the third round of price decrease.
First-grade coke prices in Tangshan are at RMB 2,005/mt ($295.3/mt) ex-warehouse, moving down by another RMB 55/mt compared to July 24, according to SteelOrbis' data.
Prices of coke in local markets in China
| Product Name | Specification | Place of Origin | Price（RMB/mt） | Price ($/mt) | Weekly Change（RMB/mt） | Weekly Change（$/mt） |
| Coke | First grade （A<13.0,S<0.75,CSR>65.0） | Hancheng, Shaanxi | 1,885 | 277.7 | -55.0 | -7.9 |
| Zibo, Shandong | 2,020 | 297.5 | -55.0 | -7.9 | ||
| Pingdingshan, Henan | 1,870 | 275.4 | -55.0 | -7.9 | ||
| Tangshan | 2,005 | 295.3 | -55.0 | -7.9 | ||
| Huaibei, Anhui | 1,920 | 282.8 | -55.0 | -7.9 | ||
| Average | 1,940 | 285.8 | -55.0 | -7.9 |
All prices include 13 percent VAT.
Prices of coking coal in local markets in China
| Product Name | Specification | Place of Origin | Price（RMB/mt） | Price ($/mt) | Weekly Change（RMB/mt） | Weekly Change（$/mt） |
| Coking Coal | A9,S0.4,V19,G88 | Linfen low-sulfur primary coking coal | 2,010 | 296.1 | -10.0 | -1.3 |
| A10.5,S3,V25,G80 | Lveliang high-sulfur primary coking coal | 1,645 | 242.3 | +37.0 | +5.6 | |
| A10,S1.8,V21,G90 | Jinzhong medium-sulfur primary coal | 1,577 | 232.3 | 0.0 | +0.2 | |
| A12,S1.2,V37.G90 | Linfen low-sulfur 1/3 coking coal | 1,290 | 190.0 | +60.0 | +9.0 | |
| Average | 1,630.5 | 240.2 | +21.8 | +3.4 |
However, coking coal prices in the Chinese domestic market have indicated slight rises amid shrinking supply of coal miners due to the frequent safety inspections. The relatively tight supply in the coking coal market is unlikely to ease in the short term. However, downstream steelmakers have implemented maintenances on their blast furnaces, weakening the demand for coking coal. It is thought that coking coal prices in the Chinese domestic market will likely bear downward pressures in the coming week.
On July 31, offer prices of coke CSR65 in the export market have been at $286/mt FOB, moving down by $4/mt compared to July 24.
As of July 31, coking coal futures at Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) are standing at RMB 1,181/mt ($174/mt), decreasing by RMB 104/mt ($15.3/mt) or 8.1 percent since July 24, while decreasing by 4.41 percent compared to the previous trading day, July 30. Meanwhile, coke futures prices at Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) are standing at RMB 1,767/mt ($260/mt), decreasing by RMB 73/mt ($11/mt) or 4.0 percent since July 24, while declining by 3.13 percent compared to the previous trading day, July 30.
$1 = RMB 6.7894
