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【Hebei Market】On the 19th, the spot market for coking coal in Handan remained stable; the seventh round of price increases of 50 yuan per ton took effect, resulting in a total increase of 350 yuan per ton. Arrivals at steel mills are generally normal, and inventory levels remain stable; in the coming period, attention will be focused on the progress of phasing out 4.3-meter coke ovens. The current price for grade 2 coking coal is 2,050 yuan per ton, while grade 1 equivalent coal costs 2,100 yuan per ton. Grade 1 equivalent dry quenching coal ranges from 2,350 to 2,390 yuan per ton; all prices are ex-factory and include tax. 【East China Market】On the 19th, the coke market in East China was strong, with the seventh round of price increases for coke largely taking effect. The price of coke delivered to steel mills in Shandong region increased by 50 yuan per ton yesterday. The ex-plant prices set by coke producers adjust according to market conditions; currently, the price of metallurgical coke of grade A, wet quenched, in Shandong is 2180–2220 yuan per ton, while that of grade A, dry quenched, is 2380–2420 yuan per ton ; The price for quasi-first-class dry quenching in Xuzhou, Jiangsu is 2,450 yuan per ton, inclusive of taxes and paid in cash at the factory. Following this round of price increases, the profitability of coking enterprises in East China has risen again. The high demand for coke from downstream steel mills ensures an ample supply of orders for these enterprises, reducing their shipping pressures and fostering an optimistic attitude among them. The coke price, which has risen for 7 consecutive rounds, has also led steel mills to be quite resistant to further increases in coke prices. However, as there are no significant changes in the supply and demand dynamics, the coke price will still have support in the short term. Overall, with high blast furnace operation levels in the short term and rising steel prices, the coking market in the East China region is expected to remain strong.