This time last year, Chinese coal prices were soaring as power plants scrambled for supplies after an historic drought caused hydropower output to collapse.

The market for China’s mainstay fuel today is far more sedate. Although prices have crept higher in recent weeks, record imports and the impact of a fragile economy on consumption are likely to cap costs heading into the next period of peak demand over the winter. But that’s not to say pressure points on supply won’t emerge.

Up Next

China Conjures a Glut of Coal as Record Imports Swell Supply