FX.co ★ Baltic Dry Index Halts 6-Day Decline

The Baltic Exchange’s dry bulk freight index, which tracks shipping rates for vessels transporting dry bulk commodities, ended a six-day losing streak on Tuesday, rising about 0.4% to 2,501 points, supported by gains in the larger vessel segments. The capesize index — covering ships that typically carry 150,000-ton cargoes such as iron ore and coal — climbed 0.3% to 3,548 points after several sessions of declines. The panamax index, which reflects rates for vessels hauling around 60,000 to 70,000 tons of coal or grain, advanced 1.4% to 2,154 points. By contrast, the supramax index inched down 0.1% to 1,667 points. Overall, the benchmark index recorded a quarterly gain of roughly 25%, but posted a 22% decline for the month.