SINGAPORE, Jan. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Asia liquefied natural gas (LNG) spot prices for month-ahead delivery gained 11% from December to January, rising to $17.348 per million British thermal units (/MMBtu) on the back of high winter demand, according to the latest monthly Platts Japan/Korea Marker (JKM) data.

On a year-on-year basis, the Platts February JKM marker was up 9% from January 2012, when the Platts JKM price assessment for February delivery was at $15.937/MMBtu. This was the first year-on-year increase in five months.

"Lower-than-expected winter temperatures triggered the need for additional spot market supplies amid competing demand from South America. The latter generated more bullish sentiment, as spot availability to the Far East was further reduced, aggravating the tightness in the market," said Sarah Cottle, Asia and Europe power editorial director at Platts, a leading global energy, petrochemicals and metals information provider and a premier source of benchmark price references.

The latest monthly Platts JKM average for month-ahead delivery, i.e. delivery in February 2013, was assessed over the period of December 17, 2012 to January 15, 2013.

The Platts JKM is an assessment of LNG prices for spot cargoes delivered to Japan and South Korea, based on the most recent trades and/or bids and offers from buyers and sellers in the open market prevailing at the close of the trading day. The monthly JKM assessments are month-ahead delivered prices and are an average of the daily JKM price assessments reported by Platts.

Meanwhile, during the assessment period, the prices of two substitute fuels -- thermal coal and fuel oil -- which are burnt by Asian utilities, dropped 1% and gained 1%, respectively month-on-month.

    Platts JKM and Substitute Fuel Prices (Monthly Averages)*
                                                              Feb-13       Feb-12       Jan-13       Year-On-Year          Month-On-Month
                                                                                                                  Change %                Change %
    JKM ($/MMBtu)                                                    17.35        15.94        15.63                  8.85                    10.99
    Qinhuangdao coal ($/MMBtu)                                        4.18         5.17         4.23                -19.04                    -1.03
    180 CST fuel oil ($/MMBtu)                                       16.06        17.85        15.94                -10.02                     0.76

    Source: Platts

For more information on natural gas or the methodology used by Platts in its power assessments, visit the Platts website www.platts.com.

Platts' monthly reports on Asia LNG prices and market developments are typically published shortly after the 15(th) of each month.

*Figures in the table are monthly averages of daily values assessed by Platts from December 17(th) to January 15(th). Platts JKM rolls on the 16(th) of each calendar month

About Platts: Founded in 1909, Platts is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals and metals information and a premier source of benchmark prices for the physical and futures markets. Platts' news, pricing, analytics, commentary and conferences help customers make better-informed trading and business decisions and help the markets operate with greater transparency and efficiency. Customers in more than 150 countries benefit from Platts' coverage of the carbon emissions, coal, electricity, oil, natural gas, metals, nuclear power, petrochemical, and shipping markets. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), Platts is headquartered in New York with approximately 900 employees in more than 15 offices worldwide. Additional information is available at http://www.platts.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies: The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), a financial intelligence and education company, signed an agreement to sell its McGraw-Hill Education business to investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC in November 2012. Following the sale closing, expected in early 2013, the Company will be renamed McGraw Hill Financial (subject to shareholder approval) and will be a powerhouse in benchmarks, content and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. The Company's leading brands will include: Standard & Poor's, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, Crisil, J.D. Power and Associates, McGraw-Hill Construction and Aviation Week. The Company will have approximately 17,000 employees in more than 30 countries. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts