DAILY: China's met coke market balance to loosen, risks grow

The downside risks for China's metallurgical coke market are growing, since coke producers have reportedly lifted operations lately following slight improvements in their profitability, which may break the supply-demand balance and dent producers' negotiating stance on coke prices, Mysteel learned.

Moderate increases were observed in coke production in North China's Shanxi province, the country's largest coke-producing hub, a local analyst reported, citing the better margins – thanks to the lower coking coal costs – as the main driver. The previous elevated production costs had continuously forced Chinese coke producers to