MYSTEEL: Thermal coal stocks at Chinese ports rise, pressuring prices

Thermal coal inventories at China's major transshipment ports crept higher last week, underscoring sluggish demand and transaction difficulties as the market enters a seasonal lull, according to Mysteel's latest survey report.

As of March 21, stockpiles across the 55 Mysteel-surveyed ports nationwide stood at 72.08 million tonnes, up 782,000 tonnes or 1.1% from a week earlier. While the weekly increase was moderate, inventories remained elevated, surging 26.5% from the same period last year, the survey data revealed. In Northeast China, coal