Group 1: Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided in the report Group 2: Core Views of the Report - In January, domestic thermal coal prices moved within a narrow range, showing a trend of rising first and then falling. As of January 23, the price of 5500K thermal coal at Qinhuangdao Port decreased by 9 yuan/ton month-on-month to 686 yuan/ton, and has maintained a weak and stable operation since the middle of the month [3][57]. - On the supply side, in December 2025, the national raw coal output was 437 million tons, still down 1.0% year-on-year, but the absolute output reached the highest level of the year. In the new year, some coal mines that had stopped production due to the completion of annual targets resumed production one after another, and the coal mines in the producing areas were producing steadily. In terms of imports, in December, China imported 58.6 million tons of coal and lignite, refreshing the highest monthly import volume last year, a year-on-year increase of 11.9%. The stable production of domestic coal mines and the high level of imports still put some pressure on coal prices [3][57]. - On the demand side, in December, the total social electricity consumption was 908 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 2.8%; the power generation of industrial enterprises above the designated size was 858.62 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 0.1%. In late January, affected by the cold wave, the temperature in coastal cities dropped sharply, and the daily coal consumption of power plants climbed. This winter, the overall temperature in China was relatively warm, and the heating demand in coastal cities only improved significantly in January. In addition, the profit of the non-power chemical industry was under pressure, and the enthusiasm for replenishing inventory was also limited [3][57]. - In terms of inventory, as of January 26, the total inventory of thermal coal at the nine ports in the Bohai Rim was 25.83 million tons, a month-on-month decrease of 3.944 million tons, and slightly higher than the inventory of the same period last year by 347,000 tons. As of January 22, the coal inventory of power plants in 17 inland provinces was 90.104 million tons, with 20.2 days of available coal; the coal inventory of 8 coastal provinces was 32.994 million tons, with 13.7 days of available coal [4][58]. - Overall, in the context of the lack of production capacity control policies in the coal industry, the market has a long-term loose expectation for thermal coal. Even during the peak winter season, downstream users still purchase cautiously. Considering the support during the peak season and the fact that coal prices are difficult to fall sharply under the tone of the anti-involution policy, it is expected that thermal coal prices will still move within a narrow range in February. However, as the peak winter season approaches the end after the Spring Festival, coal prices may be under pressure to weaken under the expectation of the off-season [4][58]. Group 3: Summary According to the Directory Chapter 1: Market Review 1.1 Price Review - In January, domestic thermal coal prices moved within a narrow range, showing a trend of rising first and then falling. As of January 21, the price of 5500K thermal coal at Qinhuangdao Port decreased by 14 yuan/ton month-on-month to 689 yuan/ton, and has maintained a weak and stable operation since the middle of the month. At present, the supply and demand of domestic thermal coal are both strong, but downstream users have a weak expectation of the sustainability of winter demand. Coupled with the acceptable inventory levels in the middle and lower reaches, most enterprises replenish inventory on demand based on long-term agreement coal, with a strong wait-and-see sentiment and weak speculative demand, reflecting the market's cautious expectation of the subsequent price trend. Considering the support of the peak season and the downstream's need to replenish inventory, it is expected that thermal coal prices will still move within a narrow range in February, but as the peak winter season approaches the end after the Spring Festival, coal prices may be under pressure to weaken under the expectation of the off-season [8]. - In the international market, the international mainstream thermal coal price index also moved steadily in January. As of the week of January 23, the European ARA port coal price index reported 95.88 US dollars/ton, flat month-on-month, and 23.37 US dollars lower than the price of the same period last year; the Newcastle NEWC6000 index reported 111.26 US dollars/ton, a month-on-month increase of 4.31 US dollars/ton, and 4.28 US dollars lower than the price of the same period last year; the South African Richards Bay RB index reported 85.25 US dollars/ton, flat month-on-month, and 17.25 US dollars lower than the price of the same period last year [8]. 1.2 Futures-Spot Price Difference - As of January 23, the price of the main thermal coal contract was 115.4 yuan/ton higher than the price of 5500 kcal thermal coal produced in Shanxi at Qinhuangdao Port [13]. Chapter 2: Analysis of Factors Affecting Prices 2.1 Supply Side 2.1.1 Origin Situation - In December 2025, the national raw coal output was 437 million tons, still down 1.0% year-on-year, but the absolute output reached the highest level of the year. In 2025, the cumulative national raw coal output was 4.832 billion tons, a cumulative year-on-year increase of 1.2%. High-frequency data showed that in the week of January 23, the capacity utilization rate of 462 thermal coal mines nationwide was 89.6%, and the average daily raw coal output was 5.41 million tons, a week-on-week decrease of 57,000 tons/day. In the new year, some coal mines that had stopped production due to the completion of annual targets resumed production one after another, and the coal mines in the producing areas were producing steadily. However, in February, with the arrival of the Spring Festival, some private coal mines may enter the shutdown and vacation state in advance, driving the contraction of raw coal output [16]. - In terms of provinces, in December 2025, the raw coal output in Shanxi was 113 million tons, slightly 0.7% lower than the same period last year, and the decline was 2.6 percentage points narrower than that in November; from January to December, the cumulative raw coal output in Shanxi was 1.305 billion tons, a cumulative year-on-year increase of 2.1%. In Inner Mongolia, in December 2025, the raw coal output was 121 million tons, the same as the same period last year; from January to December, the cumulative raw coal output in Inner Mongolia was 1.29 billion tons, a cumulative year-on-year decrease of 1.0%. In Shaanxi, in December 2025, the raw coal output was 74 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 5.9%, and it was the only province in the main producing areas that maintained positive growth; from January to December, the cumulative raw coal output in Shaanxi was 805 million tons, a cumulative year-on-year increase of 2.9%. In Xinjiang, in December 2025, the raw coal output was 54 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 8.0%; from January to December, the cumulative output in Xinjiang was 553 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 1.9% [17]. - Overall, the impact of the "anti-involution" policy in the coal industry has gradually materialized, and the year-on-year decline in coal production in Shanxi and Inner Mongolia has significantly narrowed. In January, the coal mines in the main producing areas of China were producing steadily, but it is expected that in February, affected by the Spring Festival holiday, coal production will decline seasonally. At the same time, attention should be paid to whether there are new positive signals from the "anti-involution" policy [18]. 2.1.2 Import Volume - In December 2025, China imported 58.6 million tons of coal and lignite, refreshing the highest monthly import volume last year, a month-on-month increase of 33.0% and a year-on-year increase of 11.9%; from January to December, the cumulative import volume was 490.27 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 9.6%. - High-frequency data showed that in the first two weeks of January, the arrival volume of seaborne coal in China was 13.252 million tons, equivalent to an average daily arrival volume of 1.104 million tons, a month-on-month decline compared with the average daily arrival volume of 1.317 million tons in December, but a year-on-year increase of 13.8%. The Mongolian coal imported by railway increased significantly in December last year. Only at the Ganqimaodu Port, there were 37,291 vehicle passages, a further increase of 27.5% compared with the high import volume in November. In January, the daily vehicle passage number at this port briefly dropped from about 1,500 vehicles to 1,200 vehicles, and gradually recovered in the middle of the month. Data showed that as of January 20, the total customs clearance of Mongolian coal at the Ganqimaodu Port was 19,890 vehicles, a month-on-month decrease of 24.9% and a year-on-year increase of 25.4%. According to reports from information agencies, Mongolia plans to increase its coal exports from 84 million tons in 2026 to 90 million tons, and strive to reach 100 million tons in 2027 [25][26]. 2.2 Intermediate Link Transportation 2.2.1 Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway - In December 2025, the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway completed a freight volume of 34.43 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 1.68%, and the average daily freight volume was 1.1106 million tons. From January to December 2025, the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway cumulatively completed a freight volume of 390.04 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 0.54%. From a high-frequency data perspective, as of January 22, the Datong-Qinhuangdao Railway completed a freight volume of 22.0872 million tons, a 11.5% decrease compared with December, equivalent to an average daily freight volume of 1.004 million tons [29]. 2.2.2 Ports in the Bohai Rim - iFind data showed that in December 2025, the total railway coal inflow volume of the seven major ports in the Bohai Rim (Qinhuangdao Port, Caofeidian Port, Donggang of Jingtang Port, Jingtang Port Coal Company, Huanghua Port, Huadian Caofeidian Port, and Caofeidian Phase II Port) was 46.556 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 4.86%, equivalent to an average daily inflow of 1.5018 million tons. As of January 26, 2026, the cumulative inflow of the seven ports in the Bohai Rim was 36.241 million tons, equivalent to an average daily inflow of 1.3939 million tons [30][31]. - In terms of outflow, in December 2025, the total coal outflow of the seven major ports in the Bohai Rim was 46.009 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 13.48%, equivalent to an average daily outflow of 1.4842 million tons. As of January 26, 2026, the cumulative outflow of the seven ports in the Bohai Rim was 38.248 million tons, equivalent to an average daily outflow of 1.471 million tons. - Since January, the coal outflow efficiency of the port group in the Bohai Rim has basically remained stable, but the inflow volume has decreased month-on-month, showing that the coal inventory in the northern port group has decreased. iFind data showed that as of January 26, the total inventory of thermal coal at the nine ports in the Bohai Rim was 25.83 million tons, a month-on-month decrease of 3.944 million tons, and slightly higher than the inventory of the same period last year by 347,000 tons. Overall, affected by multiple cold snaps, the heating demand of residents in coastal areas has improved, driving the seasonal decrease of coal inventory in northern ports to a level close to that of the same period last year. As of January 22, the coal inventory of 8 coastal provinces was 32.994 million tons, with 13.7 days of available coal. There is still a need to replenish inventory in the short term, but considering the decline in the electricity demand of the secondary industry around the Spring Festival and the gradual warming of the temperature after the festival, the wait-and-see sentiment in the spot market is still getting stronger, downstream users purchase cautiously, and the upward momentum of coal prices is limited [33]. 2.2.3 Shipping Situation - In January, the trends of the domestic and international shipping markets were somewhat differentiated, among which the international dry bulk market fluctuated within a narrow range. iFind data showed that as of January 26, the BDI index closed at 1,780 points, a month-on-month decrease of 5.2% and a year-on-year increase of 133.9%. Looking at the sub-vessel types, the freight rates of Capesize vessels declined during January, the freight rates of Panamax vessels rose significantly, and the freight rates of Supramax vessels were relatively stable. As of January 26, the Capesize (BCI) index closed at 2,626 points, a month-on-month decrease of 20.9% and a year-on-year increase of 174.1%. The Panamax (BPI) index reported 1,612 points, a month-on-month increase of 27.2% and a year-on-year increase of 112.4%. The Supramax (BSI) index reported 1,035 points, a month-on-month decrease of 9.5% and a year-on-year increase of 64.5%. - In the domestic shipping market, as of January 26, the CBCFI index closed at 679.17 points, a month-on-month increase of 12.4% and a year-on-year increase of 42.6%. Affected by the continuous cold air, the daily coal consumption of coastal power plants has entered the peak stage of the year, and the demand for replenishing inventory has been slowly released. At the same time, under extreme weather such as rain and snow, the phenomenon of port closures has increased, the supply of shipping is weak and the demand is strong, and the freight rates have certain support, and may maintain a relatively strong operation in February [36][38]. 2.3 Demand Side 2.3.1 Total Social Electricity Consumption - According to data from the National Energy Administration, the total social electricity consumption in December was 908 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 2.8%. In 2025, the cumulative total social electricity consumption was 1.03682 trillion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 5.0%. From the perspective of electricity consumption by industry, the electricity consumption of the primary industry was 14.94 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 9.9%; the electricity consumption of the secondary industry was 663.66 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 3.7%; the electricity consumption of the tertiary industry was 199.42 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 8.2%; the electricity consumption of urban and rural residents' living was 158.8 billion kWh, a year-on-year increase of 6.3%. The electricity consumption of the tertiary industry and urban and rural residents' living contributed 50% to the growth of electricity consumption. The electricity consumption growth rates of the charging and battery swapping service industry and the information transmission, software, and information technology service industry reached 48.8% and 17.0% respectively, which were important reasons for driving the growth of electricity consumption in the tertiary industry [41]. - In January, China entered a critical period for peak winter power consumption, and the coal consumption of power plants across the country entered the peak stage of the year. Data showed that as of January 22, the daily coal consumption of power plants in 17 inland provinces was 4.459 million tons, a week-on-week increase of 337,000 tons/day, the coal inventory was 90.104 million tons, with 20.2 days of available coal; the daily coal consumption of power plants in 8 coastal provinces was 2.417 million tons, a week-on-week increase of 239,000 tons, the coal inventory was 32.994 million tons, with 13.7 days of available coal. Overall, in January, the supply and demand of thermal coal were both strong, but downstream users had a weak expectation of the sustainability of winter demand. Coupled with the acceptable inventory levels in the middle and lower reaches, most enterprises replenished inventory on demand based on long-term agreement coal, with a strong wait-and-see sentiment and weak speculative demand, reflecting the market's cautious expectation of the subsequent price trend. Considering the support of the peak season and the downstream's need to replenish inventory, it is expected that thermal coal prices will still move within a narrow range in February, but
基本面支撑不足，动力煤低位震荡：动力煤月报-20260130
Bao Cheng Qi Huo·2026-01-30 01:42