TOKYO -- International prices of coal have climbed to a four-month high on surging activity by fossil-fuel-burning Chinese power plants to offset the drought-induced shortage of hydroelectricity.
Thermal coal logged a spot price of more than $159 per tonne at Australia's Newcastle port Monday. The benchmark has risen a seventh straight week, touching a high not seen since mid-May, and is up 31% from the recent low in late June.
