Top U.S. Coal Producers Up; India Sells $3.6 Billion Stake In State-Run Mines

The four top U.S. coal producers were higher Friday for reasons that were unclear.

The movement came as India sold a 10 percent stake in Coal India Ltd. (BOM:533278), the world's largest coal producer, for $3.6 billion Friday. But Coal India was off recently nearly 4 percent on the Bombay stock exchange.

U.S. producer Alpha Natural Resources Inc. (NYSE: ANR) gained more than 4 percent recently, changing hands at $1.01 a share.

Peabody Energy Corp. (NYSE: BTU) was up nearly 1.5 percent to $6.21.

Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) gained by a similar percentage to $0.92 a share and Cloud Peak Energy Inc. (NYSE: CLD) was up nearly 3 percent to $4.81.

The Dow Jones U.S. Coal Index (INDEXDJX: DJUSCL) picked up 0.6 percent recently, changing hands at $80.52.

The comparatively small Australian-based Carbon Energy Ltd. (ASX: CNX), focused on goal gasification projects in Australia and Asia, gained more than 9 percent on the Sydney stock exchange, trading recently at $0.035 cents a share.