Futures of thermal coal shipments out of Australia were above $135 per tonne in April, maintaining most of the surge from March as the outbreak of war in the Middle East triggered shortages in energy commodities, favoring coal alternatives. The war in the Persian Gulf drove Iranian forces to strike tankers carrying liquified natural gas and liquified petroleum gas crossing the Hormuz chokepoint. Supply from the region was further dented as major natural gas processing facilities were hit in Qatar. The developments removed a large portion of feedstock for gas-powered plants in Asia, including Japan and Korea, which are the main consumers of higher grades of Australian thermal coal out of the Newcastle port. Ample appropriate facilities from the two large economies propel gas-to-coal switching for power generation, unlike China and India, which have more steady capacity and usually bid for lower-grade thermal coal.

Coal fell to 135.50 USD/T on April 8, 2026, down 2.17% from the previous day. Over the past month, Coal's price has fallen 5.77%, but it is still 40.41% higher than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Historically, Coal reached an all time high of 457.80 in September of 2022. Coal - data, forecasts, historical chart - was last updated on April 9 of 2026.

Coal fell to 135.50 USD/T on April 8, 2026, down 2.17% from the previous day. Over the past month, Coal's price has fallen 5.77%, but it is still 40.41% higher than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Coal is expected to trade at 140.51 USD/MT by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate it to trade at 149.03 in 12 months time.



Price Day Month Year Date
Crude Oil 97.03 2.619 2.77% 16.27% 61.53% Apr/09
Brent 96.65 1.900 2.00% 10.08% 52.61% Apr/09
Natural gas 2.73 0.0063 0.23% -9.59% -23.24% Apr/09
Heating Oil 3.90 0.0957 2.51% 16.66% 91.00% Apr/09
Coal 135.50 -3.00 -2.17% -5.77% 40.41% Apr/08
TTF Gas 45.30 -7.95 -14.92% -19.75% 35.39% Apr/08
UK Gas 114.25 -20.7500 -15.37% -20.40% 38.67% Apr/08
Bitumen 4,119.00 31.00 0.76% 10.73% 23.62% Apr/09
Ethanol 1.95 -0.0350 -1.76% 4.70% 8.64% Apr/08
Uranium 85.80 0.6500 0.76% -0.12% 33.23% Apr/08
Cobalt 56,290.00 0 0% 0% 67.03% Apr/08
Lead 1,945.50 -0.98 -0.05% 0.01% 2.99% Apr/09
Aluminum 3,478.00 13.50 0.39% 2.76% 48.47% Apr/08
Tin 45,958.00 -319 -0.69% -9.33% 40.96% Apr/07
Zinc 3,303.85 10.60 0.32% -1.25% 25.79% Apr/09
Nickel 17,215.50 -4 -0.03% -1.88% 17.31% Apr/09
Palladium 1,566.00 -35.50 -2.22% -7.75% 76.45% Apr/09


Coal
Coal is one of the most widely used energy sources globally, particularly for electricity generation and industrial processes such as steel production. Despite the growth of renewable energy, coal remains a key component of the global energy mix, and its prices are closely monitored due to their impact on power generation costs and industrial activity. Coal futures are traded on major exchanges, including the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). A widely referenced contract is the Newcastle coal futures contract listed on ICE, which represents 1,000 metric tonnes. On the supply side, China is the largest producer and consumer of coal globally. Other major producers include the United States, India, Australia, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Germany, and Poland. Leading exporters include Indonesia, Australia, Russia, United States, Colombia, South Africa, and Kazakhstan. Coal prices displayed on Trading Economics are based on over-the-counter (OTC) and contract for difference (CFD) financial instruments and are intended to provide a general market reference only. These prices do not represent official benchmark prices. The data is supplied by a third party and, while efforts are made to ensure its reliability, Trading Economics does not verify the data and makes no representations or warranties.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
135.50 138.50 457.80 48.40 2008 - 2026 USD/MT Daily

News Stream
Thermal Coal Holds Surge
Futures of thermal coal shipments out of Australia were above $135 per tonne in April, maintaining most of the surge from March as the outbreak of war in the Middle East triggered shortages in energy commodities, favoring coal alternatives. The war in the Persian Gulf drove Iranian forces to strike tankers carrying liquified natural gas and liquified petroleum gas crossing the Hormuz chokepoint. Supply from the region was further dented as major natural gas processing facilities were hit in Qatar. The developments removed a large portion of feedstock for gas-powered plants in Asia, including Japan and Korea, which are the main consumers of higher grades of Australian thermal coal out of the Newcastle port. Ample appropriate facilities from the two large economies propel gas-to-coal switching for power generation, unlike China and India, which have more steady capacity and usually bid for lower-grade thermal coal.
2026-04-02
Coal Set to Gain Over 20% in March
Coal strengthened above $140 per ton and was on track to gain more than 20% in March, marking its biggest monthly advance since the peak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in May 2022. The surge comes as the prolonged Middle East conflict kept a risk premium in energy markets, prompting power generators across Asia and Europe to increase reliance on coal. Japan has joined other nations in signaling plans to ramp up coal-fired power generation to offset the energy shock from the Iran war. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is reportedly willing to end the US military campaign against Iran even without the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, potentially giving Tehran greater control over the strategic waterway. Iran is also said to be preparing to disrupt Red Sea shipping, raising the risk that two key global trade and energy corridors could be effectively cut off.
2026-03-31
Coal Holds Near 17-Month Highs
Coal strengthened above $140 per ton, hovering near its highest levels since October 2024 as uncertainties over diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war kept a risk premium in energy prices. In the latest developments, President Donald Trump extended a deadline to attack Iranian energy infrastructure for 10 days to allow for negotiations, though the Pentagon is reportedly looking to send up to 10,000 additional ground troops in the Middle East. Coal prices have surged more than 20% since the Iran war began, as prolonged disruptions to global oil and gas flows forced power generators in major economies to rely more heavily on coal. Japan has joined other nations, signaling plans to increase the use of coal-fired power plants to cope with the energy shock from the Middle East conflict.
2026-03-27