China Commodities Weekly: Massive Coalmine Shutdown Amid Falling Prices
Coal
Low coal prices had led to 67 coalmine shutdowns in Inner Mongolia in the year through June, equivalent to 20.2% of those in operation, Yicai.com reported. An increase of 30 yuan/ton may prompt the idled mines to resume, an Inner Mongolian coal producer told Yicai.
The price of 5,500kcal steam coal in the Bohai rim fell by 6 yuan to 540 yuan/ton in the week between August 28 and September 3, Tencent Finance reported. Analysts say the price was below most coal producers' operating costs.
The Beijing city government's policy to curb industrial pollution in the city will affect the coal industry. By 2015 Beijing aims to slash 8 million tons of coal consumption annually from its 2012 level and slash 13 million tons by 2017, when annual coal consumption is expected to fall below 10 million tons in the city.
Cement
China's cement output rose 8.2% year on year to 214.84 million tons in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics
China's national average cement price was flat in the week through September 8 compared with the previous week, Daiwa Capital Markets said in a research report. Inventory levels were largely stable. Rain affected construction work and thus cement demand, with good supply and pricing discipline among leading cement producers.
Metals
China's output of the 10 most used nonferrous metals rose 5.7% year on year to 3.37 million tons in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
China's pig iron output rose 11.1% year on year to 59.92 million tons in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
China's copper imports fell 13.1% year on year to 2.8 million tons in the first 8 months of 2013, according to customs figures.
China's aluminum imports fell 34.2% year on year to 545,459 tons in the first 8 months of 2013, according to customs figures.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is to begin an investigation into the rare earth industry from mining to smelting to trading in a bid to better regulate the industry, people familiar with the matter said. The probe will involve rare earth producers based in Baotou and Ganzhou as well as traders in Shanghai and Beijing, and violations will lead to severe penalties, according to the source.
Soybean
China's soybean imports may have topped out and begun declining in August after smashing records for months, an expert predicted. China's soybean imports are projected to total 9 million tons in September and October combined, said Guo Feng, vice president of Zhongfang Grain and Oil Import and Export Co. The monthly record of 7.2 million tons was set in July.
China's soybean imports rose 4.4% year on year to 41.05 million tons in the first 8 months of 2013, according to customs figures.
Low coal prices had led to 67 coalmine shutdowns in Inner Mongolia in the year through June, equivalent to 20.2% of those in operation, Yicai.com reported. An increase of 30 yuan/ton may prompt the idled mines to resume, an Inner Mongolian coal producer told Yicai.
The price of 5,500kcal steam coal in the Bohai rim fell by 6 yuan to 540 yuan/ton in the week between August 28 and September 3, Tencent Finance reported. Analysts say the price was below most coal producers' operating costs.
The Beijing city government's policy to curb industrial pollution in the city will affect the coal industry. By 2015 Beijing aims to slash 8 million tons of coal consumption annually from its 2012 level and slash 13 million tons by 2017, when annual coal consumption is expected to fall below 10 million tons in the city.
Cement
China's cement output rose 8.2% year on year to 214.84 million tons in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics
China's national average cement price was flat in the week through September 8 compared with the previous week, Daiwa Capital Markets said in a research report. Inventory levels were largely stable. Rain affected construction work and thus cement demand, with good supply and pricing discipline among leading cement producers.
Metals
China's output of the 10 most used nonferrous metals rose 5.7% year on year to 3.37 million tons in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
China's pig iron output rose 11.1% year on year to 59.92 million tons in August, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
China's copper imports fell 13.1% year on year to 2.8 million tons in the first 8 months of 2013, according to customs figures.
China's aluminum imports fell 34.2% year on year to 545,459 tons in the first 8 months of 2013, according to customs figures.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is to begin an investigation into the rare earth industry from mining to smelting to trading in a bid to better regulate the industry, people familiar with the matter said. The probe will involve rare earth producers based in Baotou and Ganzhou as well as traders in Shanghai and Beijing, and violations will lead to severe penalties, according to the source.
Soybean
China's soybean imports may have topped out and begun declining in August after smashing records for months, an expert predicted. China's soybean imports are projected to total 9 million tons in September and October combined, said Guo Feng, vice president of Zhongfang Grain and Oil Import and Export Co. The monthly record of 7.2 million tons was set in July.
China's soybean imports rose 4.4% year on year to 41.05 million tons in the first 8 months of 2013, according to customs figures.
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