NWE ethylene FD spot prices slump to lowest since April

US weekly coal train loadings from the Powder River Basin remained elevated, but slid from a nine-month-high mark.

Data the four major US railroads -- CSX, Union Pacific, BSNF and Norfolk Southern -- filed with the Surface Transportation Board for the week that ended August 12 shows PRB coal loadings averaged 63.4 trains/day, down from 66 trains/d the prior week, a tally last bested during the final week of November last year.

Despite the decline, PRB weekly loadings have averaged above 60 trains/d in the last three weeks, a feat last accomplished in mid-December.

PRB loadings averaged 48.6 trains/d through the first 32 weeks of the year compared with 69.2 trains/d in in the year-ago period.

Nationwide, coal loadings slipped slightly week on week, with gains in the East offsetting PRB's decline. US coal loadings totaled 103 trains/d, down marginally from 103.3 trains/d the week before.

US loadings average 85.3 trains/d so far this year, compared with 120 trains/d the same period a year-ago.

Central Appalachian coal loadings inched up to 13.3 trains/d from 13.1, and Northern Appalachian volumes rose to 10.3 trains/d from 9.2.

Illinois Basin coal loadings climbed to 9.1 trains/d from 7.7.

Utica Basin coal train loadings dipped to 4.4 trains/d from 4.6, and loadings from outside the primary basins dipped to 2.4 trains/d from 2.6.