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The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, inched down on Friday, weighed down by lower rates for capesize and panamax vessels.* The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was down 3 points, or 0.2 percent, at 1,691 points.* The index marked its biggest weekly decline in seven weeks, having fallen about 4.6 percent for the week.* The panamax index was down 10 points, or 0.7 percent…

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose for the sixth straight session on Thursday due to higher demand for capesize vessels.* The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, rose 45 points, or 2.872 percent, to 1,612 points, the highest since Dec. 15.* The capesize index gained 270 points, or 9.843 percent, to 3,013 points, a peak since Dec.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, hit an over three-month high on Friday as a rally in the capesize vessel segment helped the index record its best week since August 2014.The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was up 80 points, or 6.7 percent, at 1,281 points, the highest level since Jan. 11.The index was up for the 10th straight day, and surged 26.3 percent this week.The capesize index rose for the 11th straight session…

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, surged about 7 percent on Wednesday to register its biggest one-day percentage gain since November 2016, boosted by improving capesize activity. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, was up 72 points, or 6.8 percent, at 1,124 points, the highest since March 26. The index has risen for the eighth straight session. "We are starting to see additional Brazilian iron ore exports…

The La Niña weather pattern is likely to transition to ENSO-neutral conditions during the April-May period, a U.S. government weather forecaster said on Thursday. ENSO-neutral refers to those periods in which neither El Niño nor La Niña is present, according to CPC. There is a more than 50 percent chance of ENSO-neutral conditions prevailing through the northern hemisphere summer in 2018, the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said in its monthly forecast.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, closed lower on Tuesday, as demand fell across vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, closed down nine points, or 0.8 percent, at 1,117 points. The capesize index finished lower by six points, or 0.5 percent, at 1,191 points. This despite a $1 rise in the average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180,000 tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, to $9,305.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, edged up to hit a one-week high on Monday as capesizes rates rose. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, closed up four points, or 0.36 percent, at 1,126 points, its highest since March 19. The index had marked its first gain in 10 sessions on Friday. The capesize index gained 40 points, or 3.46 percent, to finish at 1,197 points.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose on Thursday as stronger demand for panamax and supramax vessels offset a fall in capsize rates. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, and supramax shipping vessels, was up 6 points, or 0.5 percent, at 1,197 points. "In the dry bulk market, capesize rates are continuing to slide as the Atlantic remains relatively quiet," analysts at ship broker Clarksons Platou Securities said.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose for the fifth straight session on Tuesday on stronger rates for the panamax and supramax vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, and supramax shipping vessels, was up two points, or 0.17 percent, at 1,212 points, a peak since Jan. 29. The panamax index was up 26 points, or 1.73 percent, at 1,528 points, the highest since Dec. 20. Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, rose $212 to $12,267. The supramax index rose seven points or 0.7 percent to 1,013 points, a four-month high. The capesize index lost 10 points, or 0.63 percent, at 1,587 points.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose for the fifth straight session on Tuesday on stronger rates for the panamax and supramax vessel segments. * The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, and supramax shipping vessels, was up two points, or 0.17 percent, at 1,212 points, a peak since Jan. 29. * The panamax index was up 26 points, or 1.73 percent, at 1,528 points, the highest since Dec. 20.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, crept higher on Wednesday to hit a one-month high, supported by stronger demand for smaller vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 4 points, or 0.34 percent, at 1,192 points, a peak since Jan. 29. It gained about 3.5 percent in February and notched the first gain in three months. The index will be re-weighted from Thursday and will no longer include the handysize time charter average.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index gained nearly 2 percent on Thursday to hit an over three-week high, buoyed by an improvement in activity across vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 21 points, or 1.83 percent, at 1,167 points, its highest since Jan. 30. The capesize index gained eight points, or 0.47 percent, at 1,725 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $111 at $13,512.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index climbed 2.6 percent on Wednesday to mark a three-week high, boosted by an increase in activity across vessel segments. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, rose 29 points, or 2.6 percent, to finish at 1,146 points, its highest since Jan. 31. "Sentiment in the dry bulk market is firming up after a return of activity in the Pacific," said analysts at shipbroker Clarksons Platou Securities. The capesize index gained 39 points, or 2.32 percent, to close at 1,717 points.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index dipped on Friday, moving near a six-month low hit earlier this month, as capesize vessel activity experienced a slowdown due to the Lunar New Year holiday in Asia. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was down five points, or 0.46 percent, at 1,084 points. On Feb. 5, the index touched its lowest since August at 1,082 points. "Rather limited activity across the segments to close the week with Chinese Lunar New Year today," said analysts at shipbroker Clarksons Platou Securities.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, rose for the eighth straight day to its highest level since early May. The overall index - which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels - was up 12 points, or 1.16 percent, at 1,050 points. The capesize index gained 43 points, or 2.59 percent, at 1,702 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose $362 to $13,538.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, notched its biggest one-day percentage gain in five months on Thursday, buoyed by soaring demand for larger vessels. The index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 42 points, or 4 percent, at 1,092 points – the highest since April 28. "We are seeing a seasonal uptick ... This time of the year you basically see the rates improve," said Herman Hildan, analyst at Clarksons Platou Securities.

Hurricane Irma was losing strength as its center moved toward the northwestern coast of the Florida Peninsula on Monday and was forecast to weaken to a tropical storm during the day and to a tropical depression by Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.   Irma, once ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic, was about 60 miles (100 km) north of Tampa, Florida, carrying maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 km per hour), the center said in a 5 a.m. ET (0900 GMT) advisory.   Irma's center would cross the eastern Florida Panhandle into southern Georgia on Monday afternoon, then move through southwestern Georgia and eastern Alabama on Monday evening and Tuesday, the NHC forecast.   Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala

Hurricane Maria has intensified and regained its Category 5 hurricane strength, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday.   Maria, which made landfall in Dominica as a Category 5 storm on Monday night, is about 205 miles (325 km) southeast of St. Croix with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h), it said.   The hurricane is expected to move towards the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Tuesday night and Wednesday, the Miami-based weather forecaster added. Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala

Former hurricane Nate has become a post-tropical cyclone that continues to pack heavy rain and gusty winds, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Monday.   The storm system is about 85 miles (135 km) northeast of Columbus, Ohio with maximum sustained winds of 20 mph (55 km/h), it said.   Nate was expected to continue tracking northeastward, moving through the Ohio Valley and into the lower great lakes on Monday.   Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala

Tropical Depression 17 has formed over the Eastern Atlantic and is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm later on Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.   The system is about 875 miles (1,405 km) west-southwest of the Azores with maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour (55 km/h), the NHC said.   Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index on Friday marked its best day in over two weeks, led by stronger demand for capesize vessels. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, rose for the fourth straight day and was up 19 points, or 1.72 percent at 1,125 points. The index logged its biggest one-day percentage gain since Jan. 24. The capesize index gained 128 points, or 7.7 percent, to 1,790 points. With a 22 percent jump, the index saw its best week since the week of Sept.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index slipped for the second straight day on Tuesday as demand across vessel segments fell ahead of a week-long holiday in China beginning Thursday. * The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, fell 9 points, or 0.8 percent, to 1,114 points. * The capesize index fell for the first time in six sessions, losing 31 points, or 1.7 percent, to 1,793 points. * Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, fell $243 to $14,075.

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell for a fourth straight session on Thursday as demand for capesize vessels remained muted amid a week-long break in China. The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was down six points, or 0.55 percent, at 1,089 points. The capesize index shed 58 points, or 3.37 percent, to 1,663 points. Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were down $485 to $12,828.