DAILY: China's thermal coal prices stay flat during holiday, supply slow to return

China's thermal coal market entered the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival break (September 2527) with portside prices holding within a narrow, elevated band, as slow restarts at mines and upcoming autumn maintenance on the Daqin line offset fading power-sector demand.

On September 24, the last working day before the holiday, Mysteel assessed the benchmark 5,500 kcal/kg NAR thermal coal at Yuan 983/tonne ($146.4/t) FOB northern ports with VAT, flat for a fifth session. The 5,000 and 4,500 kcal/kg grades also held flat at Yuan 889/t and Yuan 803/t, respectively.