Brazil's iron-ore exports hit a year-to-date high last week amid robust Chinese demand, making the case for higher spot capesize rates for the rest of 2020.

The country's shipments of the commodity rose to 7.7m tonnes last week, the highest weekly volume since the beginning of the year, according to Clarksons Platou Securities.

"Australian shipments increased slightly to 16.5m tonnes," it wrote in its daily market report.