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Baltic Dry Index Hits Two-Month High on Strong Capesize Rates
The Baltic Dry Index, a key global benchmark for shipping costs of raw materials, surged to a more than two-month high on Wednesday, propelled by a strong rally in freight rates for larger Capesize vessels.
Index Performance
The main index, which tracks rates for Capesize, Panamax, and Supramax vessels, gained 127 points, or 4.3%, to settle at 3,063, according to data from the Baltic Exchange. This marks its highest closing level since June 3.
The primary driver was the Capesize segment, which saw its index jump 316 points, or 6.6%, to 5,094, also its highest point since June 3. Consequently, average daily time-charter earnings for Capesize ships, which typically haul 150,000-tonne cargoes like iron ore and coal, rose by $2,867 to $42,698.
AdMarket Drivers
Support for the Capesize market came as iron ore futures also advanced on Wednesday. The source material noted that sentiment in the iron ore market was buoyed by the threat of a potential strike at BHP Group's operations in Port Hedland, a major Australian export terminal.
The Panamax index also contributed to the overall gain. It rose by 49 points, or 2.2%, to 2,236, its highest level since July 17.
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