Baltic Index Ends Four-day Winning Streak

The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index snapped four sessions of gains on Tuesday due to lower rates in the capesize and panamax vessel segments.

The index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax and supramax shipping vessels carrying dry bulk commodities, dropped 44 points, or 1.4%, to 3,166.

The capesize index lost 106 points, or 2.7%, to 3,844, its lowest since July 22.

Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes of iron ore, fell by $875 to $31,880.

Dalian coke futures rose for a third straight session on Tuesday to hit an 11-week peak, while rising costs of steelmaking inputs could make it difficult for China to rein in high prices of steel products, which have already eroded profits at its industrial sector.

The panamax index dropped 46 points, or 1.3%, to 3,467, its lowest in over a month.

Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes, were down $415 to $31,204.

The supramax index added 10 points to 2,893.

(Reporting by Seher Dareen in Bengaluru;)