Demand for Coking Coal Increases amid Rising Pig Iron Output

SHANGHAI, Mar 7 (SMM) - On March 7, the traded price of quasi-first grade metallurgical coke (coke dry quenching) in Lvliang city, Shanxi province, was 2,890 yuan/mt (ex-factory), flat from the previous trading day.

The supply of coking coal has shrunk, but the first round of coke price increase has not yet been implemented. The wait-and-see sentiment in the downstream market has increased.

On the supply side, rising production costs, strict environmental protection and safety inspections have limited the production. Some coke companies are expected to reduce the production. At the same time, downstream demand was good, hence coke companies shipped smoothly. On the demand side, demand for steel products kept growing and the pig iron output continued to increase, which further driven up the demand for coking coal.