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The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, edged higher on Monday, on increased rates for smaller vessels. The overall index that factors in the rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, rose three points to 398 points. The capesize index remained flat at 197 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were down $5 to $2,031. The panamax index shed four points to 459 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, fell $38 to $3,678.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, fell on Wednesday for the first time in five weeks, hurt by lower rates for capesize and panamax vessels. The index, which has tumbled about 17 percent so far this year, have been recording gains for the past 23 consecutive sessions since Feb. 11. The dry bulk market is expected to remain under pressure for longer because of weak demand for commodities, particularly from top global importer China. The overall index that factors in the rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, slipped three points to 393 points. The capesize index fell 14 points, or 7.53 percent, to 172 points.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose further on Tuesday, propelled by higher rates for panamaxes and smaller vessels. The overall index, which gauges the cost of shipping resources including iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser rose three points to 332 points. The index has marginally recovered after touching an all-time low of 290 points on Feb. 10. The capesize index remained flat at 174 points, an all time low. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, fell $29 to $2,327. The dry bulk market is expected to remain under pressure due to weak demand for commodities, particularly from top global importer China.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying industrial commodities, rose for the tenth straight session on Thursday, helped by steady demand for smaller shipping vessels. The overall index, which gauges the cost of shipping resources including iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser was up three points at 325 points. The index touched an all-time low of 290 points on Feb. The capesize index shed 4 points to 182 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, was down $20 to $2,457. The panamax index remained flat at 346 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, remained unchanged at $2,778.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Tuesday, helped by steady demand for smaller shipping vessels. The overall index, which gauges the cost of shipping resources including iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser, rose for the eighth consecutive session, by 2 points to 318 points. The index touched an all-time low of 290 points on Feb. 10, marking the lowest level since records began in 1985. The dry bulk market is expected to remain under pressure as a gloomy outlook for global demand persists. The capesize index shed 8 points, or 4.06 percent to 189 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, was down $71 at $2,507.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, ended flat on Thursday after declining for 12 straight sessions as gloom over global demand continues to prevail. The Baltic dry index is down about 98 percent from its peak of 11,793 points in May 2008, marking the lowest level since the records began in 1985. The overall index, which gauges the cost of shipping resources including iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser, remained flat at 290 points. The dry bulk sector has been particularly hurt by slower Chinese business at a time when the sector is struggling with huge overcapacity. The capesize index was down 2 points at 206 points.

Tropical Storm Henri, the eighth named storm of the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season, has formed in the Atlantic, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday. The storm was located about 250 miles (405 km) east-southeast of Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour (65 kph), the Miami-based weather forecaster said. Henri is moving toward the north at nearly 5 miles per hour (7 kph). "Some additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours," the NHC added. Reporting by Kevin Jose

Hurricane Fred strengthened early Monday in the eastern Atlantic as it approached the Cape Verde Islands, while the remnants of Tropical Storm Erika brought flooding to parts of South Carolina, according to U.S. forecasters. The center of Fred is expected to pass near or over the northwestern Cape Verde Islands, an archipelago off the west coast of Africa with a population of 525,000. Fred had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (137 kph), but was expected to gradually dissipate after passing the Cape Verde Islands, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, inched up on Monday amid muted shipping activity. The overall index, which factors in average daily earnings of capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize dry bulk transport vessels, rose one point to 601 points. The capesize index was up 5 points at 551 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose $40 to $4,596. The panamax index was down 2 points, or 0.29 percent, at 685 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry 60,000 to 70,000-tonne cargoes of coal or grain, were down $15 at $5,457.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, remained flat on Monday on muted shipping activity. The overall index, which factors in average daily earnings of capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize dry bulk transport vessels, stayed flat at 600 points. The capesize index inched up a point to 546 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, fell $23 to $4,556. The panamax index was up 2 points, or 0.29 percent, at 687 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry 60,000 to 70,000-tonne cargoes of coal or grain, was up $17 at $5,472.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, edged higher on Friday on increased rates for bigger vessels. The overall index, which factors in average daily earnings of capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize dry bulk transport vessels, was up one point at 600 points. The capesize index inched up a couple of points to 545 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose $4 to $4,579. The panamax index was up 5 points, or 0.74 percent, at 685 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry 60,000 to 70,000-tonne cargoes of coal or grain, rose by $37 to $5,455.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, edged higher on Thursday as rates for bigger vessels rose. The overall index, which factors in average daily earnings of capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize dry bulk transport vessels, gained seven points to 593 points. The capesize index gained 27 points or 5.47 percent to 521 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose $169 to $4,656. The panamax index was up 10 points at 636 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry 60,000 to 70,000-tonne cargoes of coal or grain, were up $79 at$5,076.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities inched up on increased rates for bigger vessel segments. The index, which factors in average daily earnings of capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize dry bulk transport vessels, was up 5 points at 586 points. The capesize index gained 24 points or 5.11 percent to 494 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose $196 to $4,487. The panamax index was up 7 points at 626 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry 60,000 to 70,000-tonne cargoes of coal or grain, rose $59 to $4,997. The handysize index was down four points at 362 points while the supramax index was flat at 608 points.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities edged higher on increased activity for bigger vessel segments. The index, which factors in average daily earnings of capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize dry bulk transport vessels, was up 3 points at 581 points. The capesize index gained ten points to 470 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose by $60 to $4,291. The panamax index was up 10 points at 619 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry 60,000 to 70,000-tonne cargoes of coal or grain, rose $75 to $4,938.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, edged lower on Monday on muted shipping activity. The index, which factors in average daily earnings of capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize dry bulk transport vessels, was down 2 points at 578 points. The capesize index shed six points to 460 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, fell by $41 to $4,231. The panamax index was up nine points at 609 points. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry 60,000 to 70,000-tonne cargoes of coal or grain, rose $75 to $4,863. The handysize index was down four points at 369 points while the supramax index lost four points to 609 points.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, spiralled downwards to its lowest level in nearly three decades as rates for all the four vessel types continued to flounder. The overall index, which gauges the cost of shipping resources including iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser, was down 34 points, or 5.11 percent, at 632 points, the lowest since August 1986. The index is also seen by investors as an indicator of global industrial activity. Brokers said the dry bulk market was expected remain in the doldrums due to weak commodity demand at present especially from top global importer China.

An elongated area of low pressure located about 350 miles east of the Lesser Antilles has a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Thursday. "Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for development during the next day or so, and a tropical depression could form while the system moves west-northwestward at 15 to 20 miles per hour across the Lesser Antilles and over the eastern Caribbean Sea," the Miami-based weather forecaster said. The NHC said the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola and eastern Cuba could limit development of the system during the first part of the weekend…