Platts metallurgical reference prices were unchanged Thursday. Mid-vol prices remained at $187/mt FOB Queensland, $201/mt CFR North China and $213/mt CFR East India. HCC Peak Downs Region stayed at $232/mt CFR China, $213/mt FOB Australia and $238/mt CFR India.
Most premium hard coking coals were transactable at $200-205/mt FOB Australia, $215-220/mt CFR China and $225-230/mt CFR India.
Two sources reported hearing of several premium HCC cargoes having been sold last week to a large Chinese mill at $205-210/mt FOB Australia. These could not be verified with either party.
Buy-side sources in China continued to report a wide range of price ideas for imported premium HCC, typically between $200-220/mt CFR.
In Japan, HCC contract talks for Q4 appeared to be ongoing as of Thursday evening, as several Japanese mill and trader sources said they had not heard an outcome yet. Spokesmen at BHP Billiton in London and JFE Steel in Tokyo declined to comment when asked if a settlement had been reached.
Elsewhere, semi-soft contract talks were reportedly underway between one of the major Australian producers and a North Asian mill. The producer reportedly opened negotiations at $150-160/mt FOB.
An Australian source Thursday pegged the spot value of Hunter Valley-quality semi-soft coking coal at $135/mt FOB.
China Chemical Weekly: http://news.chemnet.com/en/detail-1403616.html
