The metallurgical coal market faced a number of surprises in 2018, with Chinese environmental policies, strong thermal coal markets and other factors leading to changes in the price relationships between coal quality segments and the availability of specific brands. At the same time, overall spot liquidity had been lower than the previous year as China tightened import controls, while global steelmakers opted to procure more coal via term contracts.

Jeffery Lu, S&P Global Platts Managing Editor for Metallurgical Coal & Coke, examines the factors that could influence the market in 2019.