Coal news and updates

Rates for capes remained on a free fall last week

Keeping everyone on their toes with the volatility seen in August, the Dry Bulk market undoubtedly remains a steady provider of challenges for investors.

According to Intermodal ship broker, the following a second week of big Capesize losses, the BDI slipped further down last week, moving below the 1,000 psychological level. On the positive side, the geared sizes seem to be holding overall well, while even in the case of the Panamax segment the lack of extreme volatility is providing a much needed sense of resistance to the Capesize correction.

Was the summer positive reversal too good to last?

The Greece based broker says, we always say that rallies need time to grow legs and while current market levels are still well above those very depressive year-lows, the Chinese story remains the main source of worry, as prices for dry bulk commodities together with demand seem set to suffer further going forward, with the Capesize seaborne trade being affected the most.

Rates for Capes remained on a free fall last week, with frail activity persisting across both basins and charterers comfortably setting the tone as owners were trying to find cover amidst a continuously weakening market. Both the period and the paper market also took a hit, while further discounts are expected in the following days.

Commenting on Panamax, the broker says that, the rates for Panamax business in both basins trended sideways last week, as market participants were inevitably keeping an eye on Capes, while owners overall managed to resist lowering their ideas.

The Handy/Handymax/Supramax market continued its upward trend. A decent number of short/medium period orders appeared last week and it could have been bigger if the decline of the Cape market was absent.

source: http://coalspot.com