# Baltic Dry Index Falls to Lowest Level Since 2020

> The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index fell to its lowest level since December 2020, down 13.4% on the week to 1,279 points. Capesize rates dropped 42.5% weekly amid weak iron ore and coal demand, and Chicago wheat neared a six-month low on sluggish US exports and expected Black Sea shipments.

- Date: 2022-08-19 · published 2022-08-19T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region Global · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/39924-baltic-dry-index-falls-to-lowest-level-since-2020
- Commodities: [Ocean Grain Freight](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OCEANFRT.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

Weaker dry bulk freight signals softer global shipping demand and lowers costs for grain and feed ingredient imports, while the wheat reference points to bearish grain pricing.

## Read by commodity

- WHEAT: bearish ▼
- OCEANFRT: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WHEAT | 2023-08-22 | [Low river levels expected to again impact barge traffic this fall \| Profitability \| farmweeknow.com](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16607-low-river-levels-expected-to-again-impact-barge-traffic-this-fall-profitability.md) | -4.2% | -1.7% |
| WHEAT | 2022-07-20 | [Demand prices for wheat and barley in Ukraine remain very low 20.07.2022 - UkrAgroConsult](https://feedsoft.ai/events/40558-demand-prices-for-wheat-and-barley-in-ukraine-remain-very-low-20-07-2022.md) | -10.6% | -0.6% |
| WHEAT | 2022-07-27 | [Ukraine's Odessa port set to see first corn shipment since Russia's invasion \| S&P Global](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14473-ukraine-s-odessa-port-set-to-see-first-corn-shipment-since-russia-s-invasion-s.md) | +4.5% | +0.2% |
| WHEAT | 2022-09-30 | [Low River Levels, Soaring Barge Freight Curb U.S. Grain Exports](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16682-low-river-levels-soaring-barge-freight-curb-u-s-grain-exports.md) | +0.4% | -10.7% |
| WHEAT | 2022-12-02 | [This Week In Dairy 12-02-2022 - Total Farm Marketing by Stewart-Peterson](https://feedsoft.ai/events/8751-this-week-in-dairy-12-02-2022-total-farm-marketing-by-stewart-peterson.md) | -9.7% | -1.7% |

## Sources

- gcaptain.com: https://gcaptain.com/baltic-dry-index-falls-to-lowest-level-since-2020/

---
Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.