Baltic Index Jumps 11%

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, surged 11 percent on Monday to register its biggest one-day percentage rise in over four years, boosted by higher demand for capesize vessel segments.

* The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels, jumped 124 points, or 11.3 percent, to 1,217 points.

* The index marked its biggest daily percentage rise since October 2014.

* The capesize index gained 32 percent, or 431 points, to 1,789 points - its biggest one day percentage gain since January 2015.

* Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 170,000-180,000 tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, increased by $3,065 to $13,918.

* The panamax index, rose after having fallen for eight straight sessions, up 0.9 percent, or 13 points to 1,389 points.

* Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes, rose by $105 to $11,101.

* The supramax index fell 5 points to 947 points. 

(Reuters, Reporting by Karen Rodrigues in Bengaluru)