FX.co ★ Baltic Dry Index Bounces, Still Posts Weekly Loss

The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk index, which measures freight rates for vessels transporting dry commodities, ended a three-day losing streak on Friday, rising 1.2% to 2,043 points, largely driven by gains in the larger vessel segments. The capesize index — covering vessels that typically carry 150,000-ton cargoes such as iron ore and coal — climbed 1.7% to 3,051 points. The panamax index, reflecting ships that usually transport 60,000–70,000 tons of coal or grain, also advanced, gaining 1.2% to 1,838 points. Among the smaller vessel classes, the supramax index edged down by 1 point to 1,159 points. On a weekly basis, however, the overall benchmark index declined by about 1.9%.