[SMM Coking Coal and Coke Daily Brief] 20260701
[SMM Coking Coal and Coke Daily Brief]
News-wise, mainstream steel mills in Hebei and Shandong regions accepted a 50 yuan/mt increase for wet-quenched coke and a 55 yuan/mt increase for dry-quenched coke, effective from 0:00 on July 1, 2026. Supply side, the ninth round of coke price increases was implemented, with most coke producers turning a profit and maintaining moderate operating rates. Coupled with active selling by coke enterprises, their own coke inventory was kept within a reasonable range. Demand side, hot metal production at steel mills is expected to decline, weakening rigid demand for coke. In addition, meager steel mill profits limit their ability to absorb further price hikes. In summary, recent weakness in steel prices has led to a slight pullback in market sentiment. In the short term, the coke market is likely to remain generally stable with a slight upward bias.