What China’s Commodity Imports Say About Its Economy

Chinese imports of key energy commodities have been a mixed bag of ups and downs this year, with weakness in crude oil purchases spooking investors and markets concerned about China’s underwhelming economic growth. In contrast, coal imports have trended higher and are now expected to reach a record high in 2024 compared to earlier forecasts of flat or minuscule growth. LNG purchases have also increased this year, mostly due to the lower spot prices in Asia compared to year-ago levels. As Chinese power demand rises amid higher consumption…