Sept 11 (Reuters) – The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index was nearly flat on Friday, as capesize rates gained for the first time in twelve sessions countering a fall in rates of other vessel segments.
* The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was down two points, or 0.2%, at 1,267 points.
* The capesize index gained 21 points, or 1.2%, at 1,839 points.
* Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, were up $173 at $15,248.
* Optimism over recovery in global steel demand lifted benchmark iron ore futures on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange.
* The panamax index was down 24 points, or 1.8%, at 1,313 points. This marked its fourth straight weekly fall.
* Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, decreased $219 to $11,817.
* Among smaller vessels, the supramax index fell six points to 917 points, while the handysize index fell two points to 560 points. (Reporting by Harshith Aranya in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
