Contract Negotiations On LV.PCI/ Semi-Soft Coking Coal Also Enter Serious Phase-Price may be set for 1st quarter only just like hard coking coal

摘要

Resulting from partial settlement of contract negotiations on hard coking coal for the fiscal year 2010 with the Japanese blast furnace steel producers, negotiations on low volatile (LV). PCI coal, semi-soft coking coal and so on are expected to enter serious phase from now. At the negotiations on hard coking coal, the largest supplier in the world BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) strongly claimed to shorten the contract period of hard coking coal to the blast furnace steel producers and as a result contract price for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2010 (April-June) only was settled. In consequence, hard coking coal price for July or thereafter remains unknown.