Global CFI has added $0.24/t this week primarily due to a $1.77/t increase in sea-river freight rates in the Azov Sea. Moreover, the BlSea CFI has inched up by $0.16/t. Coaster freight rates have stayed almost unchanged in the Baltic and North Seas. Meanwhile, a $0.09/t decrease in Far Eastern rates has to some extent offset the overall growth of the index. Global ISM Commodity Index has been increasing for the fifth consecutive week. However, the situation is not so optimistic in terms of sales volumes. As before, grain of Ukrainian and Russian production enjoy healthy demand abroad, while interest in steel has weakened in the Mediterranean countries (nevertheless, steel prices have risen due to exporters’ speculations: they refrain from signing deals and voice higher offer prices). Demand for scrap remains quite strong in Turkey owing to lively sales of rebar and square billets in the domestic market. Turkish buyers mostly purchase large shipload lots of scrap sourced from Europe.