Southeast Asia and South Korea could provide support for the market

In April 2026, Australia increased its coking coal exports by 11% compared to the previous month, reaching 12.5 million tons. On a year-on-year basis, the increase was 20%. 

Coking coal exports from Australia are likely to remain stable thanks to uninterrupted shipments. Southeast Asia and South Korea may provide market support, while price dynamics are expected to remain within current ranges.

Currently, global trade flows remain somewhat limited. This is primarily due to uneven trends in steel production and a cautious procurement strategy among key Asian consumers, even as supply disruptions have eased.

Import demand in major Asian markets remained mixed, reflecting imbalances in regional steel production and consumption:

• India: imports rose by 2% compared to March (to 2.5 million tons), but fell by 4.4% year-on-year. This indicates a cautious approach to procurement amid sufficient inventories and high sensitivity to price fluctuations.

• Japan: a sharp decline in shipments was recorded—down 22% from the previous month (to 2 million tons). Steel producers adjusted their purchases in line with the decline in domestic demand, although volumes remained slightly higher year-on-year.

• South Korea: showed a significant recovery—imports rose by 70.6% compared to the previous month (to 1.8 million tons), which is 30% higher year-over-year.

• China: imports increased by 10% compared to March (to 0.7 million tons), but on an annual basis, the figure fell by 45%.

As a reminder, in April, iron ore exports from Australia increased by 5% compared to March, reaching 76.4 million tons. On an annual basis, shipments rose by 9.5%. The key importers of Australian raw materials were China (61.8 million tons), Japan (5.6 million tons), and South Korea (4.7 million tons).