• Skip to main content

    CRU

    CRU: Chinese Coking Coal Surges to $600 /t – What’s Causing the Rally?

    Written by Richard Lu


    By CRU Senior Analyst Richard Lu, from CRU’s Steelmaking Raw Materials Monitor

    In a recent Insight titled “Iron ore at $140 /dmt – what’s driving the fall?”, we explained that weak demand in China has caused a sharp iron ore price fall and we expect the downtrend to persist for the rest of the year. In the past months, we have noticed another commodity experiencing a similar price move, but in the opposite direction. Chinese top quality coking coal prices have now reached $600 /t after averaging below $300 /t for the first seven months of the year.

    Latest in CRU

    CRU: HR coil futures re-price 2027 forward curve

    CME Group’s hot-rolled coil futures have jumped higher as the loss of a reheating line at a large Southern mill have renewed domestic production issues. At market close on Oct. 12, the Q4'26 futures are now pricing in $1,295 per short ton (st) for HR coil, a month-over-month (m/m) increase of $63/st. For 2027, the forward curve is up $80 /st vs. September, at $1,207/st. For November 2026 through March 2027, prices are at an average just above $1,300/st.