The Baltic Dry index continues its rather depressed performance, in spite of a small 4% gain. Leading indicators, Capesize and Panamax sectors, demonstrate a stagnant market at the moment. Capesize rates were stuck at $8.5k and Panamax at $5k. Only Supramaxes saw some improvement, with a 10% rise in rates. Thus far this quarter, Panamax spot rates are more than 60% year to date. A primary cause is China’s declining coal imports, down 4% from this time a year ago. Industry analysts are holding out for some improvement in the fall and fourth quarter of this year resulting from the typical upswing in electricity use in China during the summer months, which should result in more coal usage and a depletion of current coal stockpiles. However, at the same time, electricity producers have been pushing for less coal consumption, prompting imports of cleaner, more energy efficient coal. Their timing is excellent as current global prices for coal are dropping, which is impacting shipping vessel freight performance. Iron ore shipping is doing a bit better, showing good strength with 145 spot Capesize charters in this last four-week period, an increase of 4 charters from the previous four weeks. The winner here continues to be Australia which is succeeding in squeezing out other countries. For instance, over the first weeks of August, Australia sent out 17 charters while Brazil sent only two.