Coal news and updates

US coal futures trade but physical deals shut out Monday

The US over-the-counter thermal coal market was mixed Monday, as no physical trades were heard but a few financial trades cleared.

A spread trade was the lone trade Monday in the Powder River Basin 8,800 Btu/lb market, as the Q4 2015 contract over the Q1 2016 contract traded for minus 20 cents, with the legs at $10.45/st and $10.65/st, respectively.

The spread last traded August 4 for minus 10 cents, with the respective legs at $10.50/st and $10.60/st.

The physical PRB 8,800 contract for September was heard Monday bid at $10.50/st and offered at $11.25/st. The contract last traded Friday for $10.75/st.

Platts assessed the front-month PRB 8,800 physical contract Monday at $10.85/st, unchanged from Friday, based on broker marks.

The Central Appalachia barge contract was inactive Monday, having gone six days without a trade. The physically settled contract, which CME Group has plans to delist after December 2016, last traded July 31 when the Q4 contract went for $42.75/st.

There were only two CAPP barge trades in July and four in June.

Platts assessed the front-month (September) CAPP barge contract at $42.75/st, down 5 cents from Friday, based on broker marks.

The CAPP rail (CSX) financial contract was active Monday, albeit after the 2:30 pm EDT time stamp, when the Q1 2016 contract traded for $46.65/st and the Q4 2015 contract traded shortly thereafter for $44.55/st.

The Q1 2016 contract last traded August 5 for $46.70/st, while the Q4 2015 contract last traded the same day for $44.50/st.

In the CSX physical market, the September contract was not heard bid or offered but the Q4 2015 package was heard bid at $44.50/st and offered at $45.25/st. The Q4 CSX package last traded July 9 for $45.75/st.

Platts assessed the front-month (September) CSX physical contract on Monday at $43.85/st, down 5 cents from Friday, based on broker marks.

source: http://www.platts.com