Its high quality and the price is a bargain, but the risk may be too great for Chinese buyers looking for a quick profit. Newcastle thermal coal prices have lost almost $20 a ton, or almost 19 percent, since early March, making supplies from Australia cheaper than Chinese domestic grades for the first time since April 2018, but there’s a catch. Coal from the world’s second-biggest exporter has been subject to delays since January and cargoes are sitting at China’s ports for extended periods as officials slow customs clearance.
