[Ferro-Alloys.com]

  According to media reports, in January 2021, the coal market operation conference was held on January 20. China Coal Industry Association (hereinafter referred to as "China Coal Association") predicted that in the first quarter, China's coal demand is expected to increase first and then decrease, coal supply will be generally stable, and coal prices will be high under the combined influence of various factors, such as sustained economic recovery, gradual rise of temperature, Spring Festival holiday and so on. Later, with the gradual rise of temperature, the tight supply and demand situation of coal market will gradually ease.

  "At present, the coal storage has picked up, the full load situation of power plants has eased, and the price has come down." Zhang Hong, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission and spokesman of China Coal Association, said at the meeting.

  Since the beginning of winter last year, the supply and demand of coal in some areas have been tight, and the price of coal market has risen sharply. Under the influence of cold wave weather and economic recovery, this situation continued this year, domestic coal demand growth exceeded expectations, coal inventory continued to decline, and coal supply and demand were relatively tight.

  According to the data, from January 1 to 18, the daily average sales volume of coal enterprises monitored by China Coal Association was 7.21 million tons, an increase of 170000 tons or 2.4% compared with that in December 2020. On January 18, the daily sales volume of coal enterprises reached an all-time high of 8.31 million tons. Compared with the end of December 2020, the coal stocks of key monitoring coal enterprises and major ports in China on January 18 are all decreasing.

  "It is expected that China's coal production will remain at a high level, and the national coal supply will be generally stable." Shi Ying, vice president of China coal transportation and Marketing Association, said that in the first quarter, under the influence of Spring Festival holidays and the gradual rise of temperature, the demand for industrial electricity and heating coal will fall from a high level, and the demand for electric coal will first increase and then decrease. Comprehensive judgment, the late coal market supply and demand situation will gradually ease.

• [Editor:Catherine Ren]