The energy crisis that helped revive coal is easing, for now

Market intervention: A worker sorts coal near a coal mine in Datong, northern Shanxi province. Shares of coal miners have been slumping as the government took extraordinary steps to tame surging prices amid power shortages. — AFP

SINGAPORE: An energy crisis in two of Asia’s key economies that caused power shortages, sent fuel prices surging and risked slowing growth is beginning to ease, though bitter winter weather will pose further challenges.

Supplies of coal, the key source of electricity generation in China and India, are beginning to rise again after governments pressed miners to rapidly boost output and lifted imports, allowing power plants and major industrial consumers to start rebuilding stockpiles.