European port coal stocks decline from record highs.

Slowing vessel arrivals and some export activity have seen coal inventories at northwest European dry bulk terminals decline 5 percent from last week's multi-year high of more than 7.3 million tonnes. Stocks at four key Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Antwerp dry bulk terminals were pegged this week at 6.96 million tonnes, the lowest since mid-September but still more than 20 percent higher on the year.

A source at one terminal said vessel arrivals had slowed, but reloadings from stock onto barges - for shipment to inland plants - were also relatively low. He also pointed to some reloading of stockpiled material for onward shipment to other destinations, including Black Sea ports. Of...