Prices hold at 6-week highs in thin trading: euro coal

LONDON: European physical coal remained firm on Wednesday at levels around six-week highs, amid cold weather, strong demand for US gas and continuing concerns over Colombian export disruptions from January.

Coal for delivery in January into Europe's main ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp (ARA) was bid at $83, with no reports of trades, after settling at $87.75 on Tuesday, the highest since late-October.

January South African cargoes from the Richards Bay export terminal were valued at $85.25 a tonne, up 25 cents from Tuesday's last settlement.

In recent weeks, European coal prices have ended a three-year decline as Colombian output falls short and a rise in US natural gas prices has made coal more competitive there, but analysts say bigger price increases are unlikely before late 2014.