DAILY: China's thermal coal trade remains thin after holiday

China's portside thermal coal market reopened on September 28 after the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in a holding pattern, with trading activity still at an impasse. Sellers relied on upcoming maintenance of a key railway and winter restocking to keep offers firm, even as mine prices slipped further.

On Monday, 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 sixth straight session. The 5,000 kcal/kg and 4,500 kcal/kg grades held flat at Yuan 889/t and Yuan 803/t, respectively. At eastern ports along the Yangtze River,