July 27 (Reuters) - Arch Coal Inc
* Arch Coal Inc reports second quarter 2017 results
* Q2 adjusted earnings per share $1.85 excluding items
* Q2 earnings per share $1.48
* Q2 earnings per share view $2.44 — Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S
* Q2 revenue $549.9 million versus I/B/E/S view $595.2 million
* Extreme volatility in global metallurgical markets delayed timing of Q2 spot sales
* Arch Coal Inc says raised coking coal volume guidance for 2017. Now expects to sell between 6.9 million tons and 7.1 million tons of coking coal in 2017
* Arch Coal says currently expecting to deliver strong operational results in year’s second half
* Arch Coal says there was limited spot buying activity in seaborne metallurgical markets during much of quarter
* Arch Coal-at start of Q2, coking coal prices increased dramatically to nearly $300 per metric ton following cyclone-driven rail closures in queensland
* Arch Coal-very few tons of coking coal were sold at peak levels as buyers headed to sidelines; prices retraced back to pre-cyclone levels by mid-june
* Arch Coal says imports into china are up strongly year to date and it appears buyers have returned to market
* Arch Coal says counterbalancing positive demand global coking coal supply increasing in response to stronger pricing - led by U.S. and Mozambique
* Arch Coal on thermal coal markets: globally, fundamentals for moving U.S. coal into seaborne thermal markets have remained positive Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:
