The Price Of Coal in Shanxi Mainly Declined Last Month

 In December, the price of coal in Shanxi mainly declined. The average price of coal was 939 yuan per ton, down 1.1% from the previous month. Among them: the average price of 1/3 coking coal was 1,227 yuan/ton, down 3.1% from the previous month; the average price of thermal coal with a calorific value of 5,000-5,500 kcal/ton was 685 yuan/ton, down 1.4% from the previous month; and the average price of No. 2 washed anthracite coal was 905 yuan/ton, up 1.8% from the previous month.

1. Coking coal: Weak demand in the off-season, prices under pressure and declining
 In the first half of the month, the off-season characteristics of the downstream steel industry became fully apparent, with the recovery of the real estate market falling short of expectations, demand for construction steel remaining low, and steel mills experiencing significant inventory accumulation.

2. Thermal Coal: Loose supply and demand dynamics, prices gradually declining
 In the first half of the month, the demand for thermal coal in the province was lower than expected. The northern region experienced a warm winter, with temperatures higher than the same period last year, leading to a significant decrease in the demand for coal used in centralized heating compared to November. The daily coal consumption at power plants declined; at the same time, the power plants had largely completed their pre-winter coal preparation work, maintaining high levels of inventory, which significantly reduced their purchasing desire. The market focused on digesting existing inventory, with very little demand for spot coal.

3. Anthracite Coal: Dual Support for Essential Demand, Prices Rising Against the Trend
In the first half of the month, the anthracite coal market in the province stabilized and rebounded, with demand showing steady performance. The chemical industry, as the core consumer sector for anthracite coal, maintains normal operating levels for coal-related facilities. The market prices of chemical products such as urea and methanol remain relatively stable, and enterprises are highly motivated to produce, keeping the purchase volume of anthracite coal stable.