Coal demand remains high, particularly due to robust demand from China, the world’s largest coal importer. This brings the projection for the full-year 2018 coal price to the range of US$98.50 – $107.00 per metric ton. So far this year the coal price (ICE NewCastle Coal January 2018) rose around 4%. In 2017, coal price surged 57.09%.
Based on data from Chinese authorities, China imported 22.74 million tons of coal in December 2017, up from 22.05 million tons in the preceding month. The government of China allowed more imports over this period. In 2017, China imported 270.9 million tons of coal, up 6.1% (y/y) from imports in the preceding year and the highest import figure since 2014.
