Global prices for coking coal rose in mid-May

Global coking coal prices rose in mid-May.

According to Kallanish, the price of high-quality coking coal FOB Australia stood at $240.2/t as of May 15, 2026, up slightly from the previous week ($238.9/t on May 8).

Spot prices for coking coal in China (EXW, Anze) on the same date stood at $238.8/t, compared to $233.8/t at the end of the previous week.

Overall, since April 17, the price of coking coal FOB Australia has risen by 1.2%, while the price EXW, Anze has risen by 7.1%.

Prices for Australian seaborne coking coal rose between May 8 and 15 amid tight supply, though buyer activity remained subdued.

In the Chinese market, prices for this commodity continued to rise during the same period amid steady trading and an increase in coke prices throughout the week. However, the market sees no momentum for further growth.

According to a Mysteel survey (conducted May 11–15), participants in the Chinese coking coal market are cautiously optimistic about the near-term outlook. They expect prices to fluctuate within a narrow range at relatively high levels. However, most believe the market lacks sufficient momentum for sustained growth, as supply and demand are currently relatively balanced.

At the same time, Chinese coke producers are considering another price hike for their products amid steady demand from steelmakers to replenish inventories, which strengthens the producers’ position.  However, the market doubts that this will happen soon, as steel producers are currently reluctant to see such a development due to the recent drop in prices for steel products in the country.

Coking coal prices in India are likely to be supported in the near term by the expected increase in freight rates.

It should be noted that global coking coal prices fluctuated slightly in the second half of April, while trading activity on the Chinese market increased during the pre-holiday period.