China's coking coal auction market had 275 Kt (mainly lean coal and gas coal) listed on Dec 23, and the unsold rate was 16%. The average closing premium for all sold lots expanded to 35 yuan/t. Lower feed coal inventory levels prompted several coking plants to replenish stocks, especially for premium grades. Yet participants were in a negative mood overall, given that the CNY holiday is still a long time away and coal output ramp-up is expected around the New Year's Day. Buyers prioritized small-scale purchases, with little urgency to make aggressive restocking. Online auctions showed mixed results, but the price gains remained capped. Some sold lots saw increases of 3-25 yuan/t in settlements compared to previous levels, while others experienced declines of 1-93 yuan/t.