Standard Bank said movement of coal price in thermal coal market continues to rise. The price of coal delivered to the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam (ARA) reached US$98.90/mt. Coal prices delivery for ARA is benchmark forStandard Bank said movement of coal price in thermal coal market continues to rise. The price of coal delivered to the Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam (ARA) reached US$98.90/mt.  the trading of coal in traditional European markets. For the Asian region the coal prices reference is coal prices traded in Chinese coal market.

Currently, coal prices in the European markets higher than coal prices from Richard Bay South Africa amounted to US$ 90 per ton.

According to Standard Bank’s analysis of the coal price rise caused by rising prices of thermal coal in the global market. Another factor affecting the increase in coal prices is the demand of investors in the energy complex because of rising crude oil prices.

Standard Bank would suggest more of an impact – is growing emerging market demand. The note makes the point that China consumes 43% of global thermal coal and that the wider emerging markets consume some two thirds of global thermal coal.

Projections of Thermal Coal Import by HSBC

HSBC in their last quarterly Metals & Mining report looks at projections of thermal coal imports forward to 2013 by which time India, already a major thermal coal consumer will be importing as much as China. China is doing much more to diversify its energy sources than India yet the latter is seeing energy demand grow at breakneck speed. Both countries will be at around 100 million tons of imports per annum, not far behind leader Japan at 123 million. Interestingly in this world of growing renewable energy sources, rising environmental concerns and much cheaper natural gas prices following the opening up of shale gas, BP’s annual energy review points out the largest generating energy source last year remains coal at 29.4%. Ironically due to a global retrenchment in energy growth following the recession of 2009 saw the highest proportion coming from coal since 1970. That anomaly is unlikely to continue with so much money pouring into other energy sources but for many emerging markets coal will remain the major energy source for a long time to come and their rising demand will support prices. Standard Bank is expecting 2011 to average US$95/ton but with a gradually rising trend during the second half of next year to $100 per ton FOB Richards Bay, South Africa.