Coal fell to 108.35 USD/T on December 1, 2025, down 1.86% from the previous day. Over the past month, Coal's price has fallen 1.14%, and is down 20.33% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Coal - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

The global coal price index reached 145.08 index points in September 2025. This was a decrease compared to the previous month, while the overall fuel energy price index decreased. The global coal index expresses trading of Australian and South African coal, as both countries are among the largest exporters of coal worldwide. How coal profited from the 2022 gas crunch Throughout 2022, coal prices saw a significant net increase. This was largely due to greater fuel and electricity demand as countries slowly exited more stringent coronavirus restrictions, as well as fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war. As many European countries moved to curtail gas imports from Russia, coal became the alternative to fill the power supply gap, more than doubling the annual average price index between 2021 and 2022. Main coal traders and receivers Although China makes up by far the largest share of worldwide coal production, it is among those countries consuming the majority of its extracted raw materials domestically. In terms of exports, Indonesia, the world's third-largest coal producer, trades more coal than any other country, followed by Australia and Russia. Meanwhile, Japan, China, and India are among the leading coal importers, as these countries rely heavily on coal for electricity and heat generation.

Graph and download economic data for Global price of Coal, Australia (PCOALAUUSDM) from Jan 1990 to Jun 2025 about coal, Australia, World, and price.

The global coal price index amounted to ***** index points in 2024. This was less than **** the price index recorded two years prior, and the peak in the period in consideration. Increased power consumption led to a rise in natural gas and coal demand that brought about an energy supply shortage in the latter half of 2021.

View monthly updates and historical trends for Coal Price Index. Source: International Monetary Fund. Track economic data with YCharts analytics.

The World Coal Price Index provides insights into the dynamics of the global coal market, including fluctuations in price, factors affecting demand and supply, and the impact of transportation costs. It is used by coal producers, traders, and consumers to monitor market trends and make informed decisions.

Learn about the various factors that influence coal prices in the international market, including global economic conditions, geopolitical events, environmental regulations, technological advancements, and the availability of alternative energy sources.

It is forecast that the average price for hard coking coal in 2029 will be ****** nominal U.S. dollars per metric ton. Meanwhile, the average price for semi-soft coking coal is forecast to be ****** nominal U.S. dollars per metric ton that year.

One of the leading economic industries in Australia, coal mining has contributed significantly to the local economy. In 2024, the price of Australian coal was around 136 U.S. dollars per metric ton. Coal market The contribution of the coal mining industry to Australia’s economy was valued in the billions of Australian dollars. Coal consumption is much lower than production in Australia, so most of the mined coal is exported. In fact, Australia exports the most coal by value out of any other country, with major export partners including China and India. Australia’s reliance on its mining exports may lead to potential problems, particularly if long-term demand drops due to emerging alternative fuel sources, climate action, and increased competition from other coal producing countries. The effect on the tens of thousands of Australian workers in the mining industry may have already been felt, with lower employment numbers recorded recently. Environmental impact Of late, the fugitive emissions from coal mining have come under fire due to their contribution to environmental pollution. In Australia, emissions from underground coal mines were projected to total 19 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030. With a global focus on reducing air pollution and mitigating climate effects, the future of mining in Australia may not be as certain as it once was.

Coking Coal rose to 201.25 USD/T on November 10, 2025, up 0.12% from the previous day. Over the past month, Coking Coal's price has risen 3.60%, but it is still 4.39% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for Coking Coal.

Graph and download economic data for Global price of Coal, Australia (PCOALAUUSDQ) from Q1 1990 to Q2 2025 about coal, Australia, World, and price.

The price for one metric ton of Australian thermal coal amounted to an average of ****** U.S. dollars in 2024. This was a notable decrease compared to 2022, when the price amounted to over *** U.S. dollars. Thermal coal, also known as steam coal, is used to generate electricity and its properties include a high moisture and low energy content. It is differentiated from coking coal, or metallurgical coal, which is largely used for steel production. Thermal coal/steam coal prices tend to be lower than coking coal prices, as coking coal requires fewer impurities. Coal consumption: the leading consuming countries Between 2000 and 2023, global coal consumption increased by some ***** exajoules, amounting to roughly *** exajoules as of 2023. Today, China and India are the two leading coal consumers worldwide, at ***** and ***** exajoules, respectively. The two most populous countries on the planet thus accounted for over ********** of total coal consumption in 2023. The U.S. is a leading coal consumer despite the declining U.S. coal mining industry The United States was ranked ***** among the leading coal consuming nations in 2023, however, it has decreased its coal consumption for electricity generation considerably since 2007. This is largely the result of electric utilities switching to cheaper means of energy production such as natural gas and renewables, as well as growing concerns over greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. coal mining industry has also been on the decline in recent years.

The steam coal price index is a measure of the price of steam coal in the global market. This article provides an overview of the steam coal price index, its importance in the energy sector, and the commonly used indices such as the Global Coal Newcastle Index (GCNC), Miller Argus Index (MAI), and Richards Bay Index (RB Index). It also highlights the role of these indices in tracking price trends, making investment decisions, and understanding market dynamics in the coal industry.

API2 Rotterdam coal futures amounted to *****U.S. dollars per 1,000 metric tons on October 27, 2025 for contracts with delivery in November 2025. API2 Rotterdam is a Europe-wide coal price benchmark. Import prices for thermal coal became more volatile following the Russia-Ukraine war and European Union sanctions on Russian coal imports. However, since 2024, the AP12 Rotterdam as well as the worldwide coal price index have been comparatively stable.

Monthly and long-term coking coal price data (US$/mt): historical series and analyst forecasts curated by FocusEconomics.

South African coal prices in , October, 2025 For that commodity indicator, we provide data from January 1984 to October 2025. The average value during that period was 61.18 USD per metric ton with a minimum of 21.25 USD per metric ton in August 2002 and a maximum of 302 USD per metric ton in April 2022. | TheGlobalEconomy.com

Monthly and long-term thermal coal price data (US$/mt): historical series and analyst forecasts curated by FocusEconomics.

Australian coal prices in , October, 2025 For that commodity indicator, we provide data from January 1970 to October 2025. The average value during that period was 58.5 USD per metric ton with a minimum of 7.8 USD per metric ton in January 1970 and a maximum of 430.81 USD per metric ton in September 2022. | TheGlobalEconomy.com

In the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022, the price of Australian thermal coal amounted to nearly ****** U.S. dollars per metric ton, recording the highest worldwide price for this material until 2024. By Q2 2025, the price for Australian thermal coal dropped to ****** U.S. dollars per metric ton, the lowest price recorded during the period of consideration.

The U.S. Central Appalachian coal price is a key indicator for coal prices across the country. The region includes parts of Eastern Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee, which are some of the largest coal-producing states in the country. In 2024, the average Central Appalachian coal spot price stood at 77.67 U.S. dollars per metric ton. This was less than half the average price in 2022. Coal commodity prices surged in 2022 as sanctions on Russian imports, production loss in Australia, and a temporary export ban in Indonesia put pressure on supply volumes. Other important global coal benchmarks include the Northwest Europe marker price, Australia's Newcastle, and China's Qinhuangdao price.