United Tractors (UNTR) continues to report weak sales of construction machinery due to slowdown of mining sector. Last month, Komatsu sales volume reached 366 units, an improvement from March 2014, but significantly smaller than the same month of 2013. How about Pamapersada Nusantara’s coal production and UNTR’s own coal sales?

Nomura Australia Ltd and its related companies have become substantial shareholder of ASX-listed Cokal Limited, controlling owner of Bumi Barito Mineral (BBM) coal project in Central Kalimantan. How about E-Force Holdings’ investments in Kalimantan coal?

Shares of coal producers end mixed in the region Wednesday (May 21). Shenhua and China Coal regained grounds in Hong Kong, but BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto end lower ground in Sydney. In Jakarta, most shares end in positive territory, except for Adaro Energy and Berau Coal. Watchout actions from the following companies: Pan Asia, Indika Energy, and Atlas Resources.

Data from China continues to show weakness in the coal market. While not as bad as China Shenhua, China Coal Energy Company Ltd reported only 3.7% growth in coal sales volume for April 2014. Producers anticipate that coal prices in China will remain under pressure for most part of the year, forcing inefficient players out of the market.

Shares of coal producers end mostly in red Thursday (May 15) led by China Shenhua’s 1.14% fall on weaker coal sales in April 2014 and the first four months of 2014. In the meantime, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has set out a timetable for the merits phase of an arbitration lawsuit filed by Churchill Mining Plc against the Republic of Indonesia.

Newcastle Port, the largest coal exporting terminal in the region, shipped out 2.48 million tons of coal in the week ended May 12, 2014, down 11.2% from the previous week. Overall, activities were slower with less coal vessels entering the port. Corporations in this report: ABM Investama.

Bumi Resources (BUMI), Indonesia’s largest coal producer, booked net profit of US$349 million in the first quarter of 2014 against net loss of US$62.91 million in the corresponding period of 2014. This, however, was attributable to US$747 million gain in divestment of 10% shares in Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) as part of debt restructuring with China Investment Corporation (CIC).

Shares of coal producers gained substantially with substantial trading volume in Jakarta Monday (May 12). Adaro Energy (ADRO) gained 6.7% with over 124 million shares exchanged hands, while Harum Energy jumped 8.5% with over 26 million shares traded. Indo Tambangraya Megah (ITMG), which posted 73% jump in net profit for the first quarter of 2014, also gained 4.4%.

The government has set reference price of Indonesian coal (HBA) for May 2014 at US$73.6 per ton (FOB vessel) for coal with calorific value of 6322 Kcal/Kg, down 1.6% from April, but dropped significantly by 13.7% from May 2013. Also in this report: Indo Tambangraya Megah (ITMG), Adaro Energy, and Kideco Jaya Agung.

Asia Resource Minerals Plc (ARMS) announced yesterday that a number of its major shareholders, including Samin Tan’s RACL and Borneo Lumbung, have indicated a clear wish for the company’s shares in PT Berau Coal Energy (BRAU) to be distributed in specie to shareholders, which would ultimately remove the need for a London Stock Exchange listing (delisting).