[SMM Coking Coal and Coke Daily Brief] 20260715

[SMM Coke and Coking Coal Daily Review]

Coking Coal Market:

Linfen low-sulphur coking coal is quoted at 2,020 yuan/mt.

On the coking coal side, strict safety inspections continue in Shanxi, limiting overall capacity release and keeping the supply tight. Downstream purchasing as needed persists, with some local mines starting to see minor inventory buildup and mounting wait-and-see sentiment. Most mines are executing prior orders, with few new signings, so short-term coking coal prices are likely in the doldrums.

Coke Market:

The nationwide average price for quasi-first-grade dry-quenched metallurgical coke is 2,090 yuan/mt.

Supply side, downstream procurement volume has dropped, with coke inventory at coking plants continuing to increase, pushing current coke supply towards a looser balance. Demand side, heavy rainfall in Northeast and South China is impacting construction, weakening demand for finished steel products; coupled with poor margins, steel mills in Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu and other regions have concentrated blast furnace production cuts and maintenance. Daily average hot metal production continues to decline, weakening rigid demand for coke. Most mills are now actively controlling coke arrivals and slowing restocking efforts. Overall, the short-term coke market is expected to remain temporarily stable, while expectations of a weaker market are gradually increasing from next week. [SMM Steel]