Shenhua Auction: Remaining cargoes unsold as market enters holiday lull

Shenhua Baotou Coal Chemical Co., China’s largest coal-based petrochemical producer, concluded its auction 30 December 2025, with the results for prime grades as follows:

Auction platform: https://www.e-chnenergy.com  

Auction time: Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 12 PM 

Key takeaways:

The final auction sessions of the year continue to reflect a market in a state of seasonal transition, as the 30 December session concluded with no recorded transactions. Despite a further price concession from the producer, the minimal volume on offer failed to attract bids, signaling that most market participants have effectively moved into holiday mode.

In an effort to clear the remaining 57.02 tons of PPBC injection, Shenhua applied an additional discount of CNY 30/ton compared to the previous session. Stagnant trading activity on the auction floor reflects a broader preference for year-end consolidation, with participants remaining on the sidelines as they await the reset of 2026 supply allocations.

Market observers noted that the lack of uptake despite the discount underscores the depth of the current holiday lull. "Buyers have already fulfilled their essential year-end requirements and are showing no urgency to take on additional inventory, regardless of minor price adjustments," a local trader commented. Downstream participants are largely sidelined, opting to preserve cash and reassess the sustainability of recent price movements once full trading activity resumes in January 2026.

Written by: Kat Yun Yun 

Edited by: Aiman Haikal