Washington (Platts)--17Jul2009

For the consecutive second day, volumes in the over-the-counter coal
markets picked up Thursday. But, unlike on Wednesday, prices held their ground
or rose a little and they even moved in the opposite direction to that taken
by deals on NYMEX.

In the NYMEX look-alike market, July traded for $43; Q4 2009 traded for
$45.25; Q1 2010 traded for $48.25, which was flat with Wednesday's deals; Q3
2010 traded for $57.75 for 10 barges and at $57.25 for five barges, and Q4
2010 traded for $61.25, up from $60.50 on Wednesday.

Also, a look-alike spread deal saw Q1 2011 trade at a $7.25 premium to Q3
2010 for five barges.

Power River Basin 8,800-Btu/lb coal traded financially for Q1 2010 at
$9.05 for 15 contracts, calendar year 2010 for $9.50 for five contracts and CY
2011 for $11.50 for 10 contracts. Also, PRB 8,800 traded physically for CY
2010 for $9.60 for one train/month, flat with the price of a Wednesday deal.

August CSX-origin, 12,500-Btu/lb, -1% sulfur coal traded at $47.75, and a
Q4 2009 physical deal went for $47.50.
--Charlotte Wright, charlotte_wright@platts.com