The Baltic Index slipped for a fourth consecutive session on Tuesday, easing 0.7% to 2,973 points and reaching its weakest level since late August, sources indicated on 8 October 2026.
The decline represented a continuation of a short run of losses for the dry bulk benchmark, which measures freight rates across the sector; the fall to 2,973 points followed three earlier sessions of downward movement and left the index at its lowest reading since late August.
Market movements by vessel class
Movements among the component vessel segments were uneven. The capesize sub-index fell by 1.9% to its lowest point since 20 August, according to the information supplied, while the indices tracking panamax and supramax ships inched higher.
The capesize drop was the steepest change reported for any segment, with the specific 1.9% fall and the reference to 20 August given in the source material. By contrast, the panamax and supramax indices showed only modest upward movement and were described as having inched higher rather than registering notable gains.
The Baltic Index is presented as a gauge of dry bulk freight prices; the daily point reading of 2,973 reflects the composite measure for freight across multiple vessel classes. The published report set out the change as a percentage decline and placed the result in the context of a four-session losing run.
Short-term pattern
The sequence of four straight sessions of decline meant the overall index reached levels not seen since late August, a detail that underlined the short-term weakening noted in the report. The specific timing and the percentage movements for the overall index and the capesize segment were provided by reports on 8 October 2026.
For clarity, the verified figures from the report are:
- Baltic Index overall: down 0.7% to 2,973 points on Tuesday, marking a fourth straight session of decline and the lowest reading since late August.
- Capesize index: down 1.9%, to its lowest level since 20 August.
- Panamax and supramax indices: both inched higher, with the report noting only modest upward movement for those segments.
The published account supplied these specific percentage and point changes and identified the comparative recent lows for the composite index and for capesize ships. No further detail on voyage routes, cargo types, or drivers of the moves was included in the supplied notes from the source.
Taken together, the numbers reported on 8 October 2026 show a mixed picture within the dry bulk sector: an overall slide in the Baltic Index alongside small gains in the panamax and supramax components, and a sharper fall for capesize rates compared with the other segments.
The figures and comparisons above are drawn from the reports item dated 8 October 2026, which summarised the day’s movements in the Baltic Index and its constituent measures.
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