India: BigMint’s coking coal index inches down w-o-w amidst limited trade activities

• BF route rebar prices drop w-o-w
• Vessel freight rates inch up w-o-w

BigMint’s premium hard coking coal (PHCC) index was assessed at $250/tonne (t) CNF Paradip, India, on 17 July 2026, down by $4/t w-o-w. Weaker market sentiments in steel segment and resistance in hike in met coke prices have kept coking coal prices under check.

A trader was learnt to have booked 35,000t PHCC at around $230/t FoB this week, cited participants.

BigMint has consolidated its PHCC CFR India Index to include material of all origins, including US, Canada, Mozambique, Australia — normalised for quality and freight. With India steadily reducing its reliance on Australian PHCC and increasing imports from alternative sources, this update ensures the index accurately reflects evolving market dynamics and trade flows.

Factors influencing prices

Australia-India vessel freights inch up w-o-w: India’s dry bulk coal freight market maintained a firm undertone in the week ended 17 July 2026, with freight rates moving higher across both Panamax and Supramax segments. Active Australian coal fixtures, stronger South East Asian cargo activity and sharply higher bunker prices supported owners’ pricing, while limited prompt tonnage provided additional support across key routes.. Panamax vessel freight assessment of BigMint from Haypoint, Australia to Paradip, India was recorded at $20.9/t, up $1.6 w-o-w.

India’s met coke market faces downside risks as policy uncertainty dampens demand: India’s met coke market exhibited mixed trends during the assessment week ended 16 July 2026, with prices softening in the eastern region while remaining stable in the west. The divergence reflected regional demand variations, subdued spot market activity, and persistent uncertainty surrounding the continuation of the anti-dumping duty (ADD) on imported metallurgical coke. BF-grade met coke prices in eastern India inched down by around INR 100/t w-o-w to INR 35,150/t ex-Jajpur, as steelmakers adopted a cautious procurement approach amid weak spot demand and sufficient inventories.

India’s BF-route rebar prices decline as weak demand prompts mills to cut offers further: India’s blast furnace (BF)-route rebar market remained under pressure during the assessment week ended 17 July 2026, as weak construction activity amid the monsoon, cautious distributor procurement, and comfortable inventory levels continued to weigh on demand. BigMint’s benchmark assessment for BF-route rebar (IS 1786 Fe550D, 12-32 mm) declined by INR 1,00/t w-o-w to INR 47,900/t ex-Mumbai (distributor-to-dealer, excluding GST).