Coal Resource Network

Russia's Primorsky Krai will phase in restrictions on coal and other hazardous cargo transshipment at city ports in 2026 and impose a full ban in 2027, under an order signed by Governor Oleg Kozhemyako, local media reported. Container handling will continue. Coal is to move to Vostochny and Sukhodol outside populated areas. Vladivostok Sea Fishing Port has already stopped coal transshipment; the list of affected city terminals still needs clarification and may include Nakhodka Commercial Sea Port.

A deterioration in river conditions along Indonesia's major coal artery was independently confirmed on August 26 by Indonesia's Geospatial Information Agency, or BIG. Satellite imagery from May 4, July 8, July 19 and August 17 showed a progressive contraction of the Barito's active water channel around the Kalahien Bridge in Barito Selatan, with larger areas of exposed riverbed and sandbanks. BIG stressed that the river had not completely dried up, but that its water surface and active channel had shrunk significantly. Sources said the impact was more severe in parts of the upper Barito, where shallow sections were restricting or halting barge movements. This has forced some producers to declare force majeure on shipments, while others were reducing cargo sizes to avoid vessels running aground.

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, BMKG, said in its latest forecast issued Aug 31 that the start of Sep would remain dominated by hot and dry conditions. Rainfall in much of Indonesia was expected to remain in the low-to-medium range of 0-150 mm per 10-day period, with rainfall below 50 mm expected to dominate much of Kalimantan. BMKG attributed the persistent dryness to the strong influence of a very strong El Nino and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, which are limiting moisture supply.

China's central bank set the yuan midpoint rate at 6.7809 per dollar on Sep 1, strengthening it by 19 basis points from the previous fix of 6.7828. The onshore yuan closed at 6.7198 at 16:30 in the prior session, with the overnight session ending at 6.7195.

U.S. crude steel production was estimated at 1.818 Mst (1.65 Mt) in the week ending Aug 29, 2026, up 3.1% YoY but down 1.6% WoW, according to data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). The capacity utilization rate was measured at 78.7%, expanding 0.5 pp YoY but shrinking 1.3 pps WoW. The country's year-to-date crude steel output totaled 62.829 Mst, up 5.5% YoY, while the capacity utilization rate expanded by 2 pps to 79%.

China's national voluntary greenhouse gas emission reduction trading system saw 21,092 tonnes of certified emission reductions (CERs) change hands on Aug 31, with turnover of 2.04 million yuan ($0.30 million) and an average price of 96.62 yuan/t, according to exchange data. Cumulative volume since the market's launch reached 21,706,778 tonnes as of Aug 31, with total turnover of 1.74 billion yuan.

China's national carbon market saw its benchmark carbon emission allowance (CEA) price close at 97.90 yuan on Aug 31, down 0.61% from the previous trading day, according to data from the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange. The day's trading ranged between an opening price of 98.50 yuan and a low of 97.00 yuan, with a high of 98.80 yuan. Total CEA volume reached 3,546,553 tonnes, with a turnover of 322.89 million yuan ($47.60 million), including 480,328 tonnes traded via listed contracts and 3,066,225 tonnes via bulk contracts. No one-way bidding transactions were conducted during the session.

Listed companies in China generated 37.76 trillion yuan in operating revenue in the first half, up 7.6% year on year, according to a report released by the China Association for Public Companies. Net profit reached 3.58 trillion yuan, up 19.5% year on year, with growth accelerating 16.7 percentage points from the full-year pace in 2021.

Shanghai International Energy Exchange (INE) will launch trading of low-sulfur fuel oil options from 9:00 am on Sep 10, 2026, with a call auction session scheduled from 8:55-9:00 am on the launch day, the exchange announced. The maximum order size for limit orders is set at 100 lots, while market orders are capped at 30 lots per order.

China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. reported total operating revenue of 589 billion yuan and net profit of 1.85 billion yuan for the first half of 2026, according to its financial results released on Aug 31. The company said railway passenger and freight transport service quality continued to improve, with multiple transport indicators hitting record highs for the period, as operational efficiency and profitability kept rising.

The onshore yuan appreciated more than 0.4% against the U.S. dollar in August, repeatedly hitting fresh multi-year highs during the month. On Aug 31, the yuan closed at 6.7198 against the dollar at 16:30, up 6 basis points from the previous trading day. Over the full month, the onshore yuan strengthened from 6.7476 at end-July to 6.7198 at end-August, accumulating a gain of over 0.4%.

China's commerce ministry and six other departments issued measures to expand and upgrade consumer goods spending, targeting total retail sales of consumer goods of around 60 trillion yuan by 2030, according to a document outlining the policy.The plan aims to cultivate green, smart and health consumption into markets each exceeding 10 trillion yuan, while sustaining growth in trillion-yuan categories such as automobiles, home appliances, telecommunications equipment and textiles, keeping China's market scale globally leading.

International oil prices rose on Aug 31, 2026. Light crude futures for October delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange settled $2.36 higher at $85.76/barrel, up 2.83%. Brent crude futures for November delivery on London's ICE exchange rose $2.39 to settle at $90.49/barrel, up 2.71%.

Aug 31, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference that China never deliberately pursues a trade surplus and opposes all forms of unilateral tariff measures, responding to U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent's remarks that the world cannot allow China to run a $1.2 trillion trade surplus and that the G20 should revisit trade terms with China. Guo said China adheres to high-level opening-up and offers new opportunities to all parties, including the United States, through its large market. "China and the United States should jointly implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, resolve relevant issues through consultation on the basis of equality, respect and mutual benefit, and safeguard the hard-won positive momentum in the current economic and trade field," Guo said.

China's global trade friction index stood at 102 in June 2026, remaining at a high level, according to data released by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). The total value of trade friction measures involved rose 2.4% year on year and 11.8% month on month.Among 20 monitored countries and regions, India, the United States and the European Union ranked top three in the trade friction index. CCPIT spokesperson Yang Fan said the U.S. continued to intensify its use of unilateral sanctions, export controls, Section 232 tariffs and Section 301 investigations, keeping its trade friction measures value at the top for seven consecutive months. Among 13 major monitored industries, friction measures were concentrated in electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and machinery, with electronics recording the highest index.