Grain Trading Is Quiet

Grain fixing for Iran continued to hold interest in an otherwise quiet sector, brokers said on Monday. IRISL fixed unnamed tonnage to lift 50,000 tons wheat from St. Lawrence for Iran at $21 with shipment set for December 1/20. This compared with the $21.25 that they paid for 60,000 tons wheat on the same route on November 17 and $20.50-22.00 for two other cargoes of 60,000 tons each on November 16. Tradigrain booked 55,000 tons wheat to Iran but from Kalundborg November 25/30 shipment at $18.25. Cargill was seen fixing cargoes in the grain sector, with 60,000 tons and 55,000 tons heavy grain booked from the U.S. Gulf to Seaforth, England, and Barcelona respectively. Both were concluded at $13.50 and with shipment set for November. The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) shed three points to 1,708, the Baltic Panamax Index (BPI) eased 10 to 1,524, the Baltic Handy Index (BHI) climbed one point to 1,098, the Baltic Handymax Index fell 14 to 9,673 and the Baltic Capesize Index (BCI) rose one point to 2,512. In the mineral sector, RAG chartered a vessel to carry 50,000 tons coal Maracaibo to Rostock in January at $12 and two Hanjin vessels to ship 50,000 tons coal each from the same load port but bound for Hansaport at $11.50, with shipment pegged for Nov 28/Dec 7.