On the back of a drought in China and rebounding electricity demand, the prices of thermal coal have soared and turned thermal coal into one of the best performing assets of 2021. Since the start of 2021, the price of high energy Australia coal (the benchmark for the Asian coal market) has climbed 86% to its highest level since September 2008 to above US$150 a tonne. This despite thermal coal being the least liked commodity across the globe due to its environmental impact. The South African equivalent of the Asian bench market for thermal coal, has also been trading at its highest level in more than 10 years.

Source: https://www.ft.com/content/b696720f-fed4-4f4b-acbd-302f8935c73e