China’s coal output fell 2.3% year-on-year in October, official data showed on Friday, reflecting production restrictions designed to support prices.
October output was 406.75-million metric tons. The output was also lower than 411.51-million tons in September, the data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
After an unexpected supply increase in the first half of the year, China put curbs on coal production to support prices that could further tighten toward year-end, a top miner said late last month.
The country’s state asset regulator has held meetings with industry participants calling for prices to be kept at a “reasonable” and “stable” level, the miner said.
Domestic coal prices are close to one-year highs, according to a government index.
Coal output in the first 10 months of the year was up 1.5% from the year-earlier period, at 3.97-billion tons, according to the data.
