Feb 15 (Reuters) – The Baltic Exchange’s primary sea freight index, monitoring charges for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, edged larger for a second straight session on Monday, on improved charges for giant vessel segments.

The total index, which gauges the price of transport assets together with iron ore, cement, grain, coal and fertiliser, rose 4 factors or 1.4 % to 295 factors.

The index had on Friday risen for the primary time in 2016, having fallen almost 40 % throughout the 12 months up to now. It touched an all-time low of 290 factors on Wednesday, marking the bottom stage since information started in 1985.

The dry bulk market is anticipated to stay below stress as a dark outlook persists for world transport demand.

The sector has been significantly harm by slower Chinese enterprise at a time when the market is combating big vessel overcapacity.

The capesize index was up 5 factors at 204 factors.

Average day by day earnings for capesizes, which generally transport 150,000-tonne cargoes similar to iron ore and coal, gained $23 to $2,721.

The panamax index was up 10 factors, or 3.1 %, at 334 factors. Average day by day earnings for panamaxes climbed $80 to $2,677.

Among smaller vessels, the supramax index gained 4 factors to 247 factors, whereas the handysize index remained flat at 183 factors. (Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala in Bengaluru; Editing by David Holmes)

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