The National Coal Index (NCI) has declined by 33.8 per cent in May 2023 at 157.7 points compared to May 2022, where it was at 238.3 points, indicating a strong supply of coal in the market, with sufficient availability to meet the growing demands.
Similarly, the NCI for non-coking coal stands at 147.5 points in May 2023, reflecting a decline of 34.3 per cent compared to May 2022, while coking coal index stands at 187.1 points in May 2023, with a decline of 32.6 per cent. The peak of NCI was observed in June 2022 when the index reached 238.8 points. However, subsequent months have experienced a decline, indicative of abundant coal availability in the Indian market. NCI is a price index that combines coal prices from all sales channels, including notified prices, auction prices and import prices. The downward trend in the NCI signifies a more balanced market, aligning supply and demand.