Rates in the spot market for capesize bulkers began the week with a bang, with the Baltic Capesize Index up by 16% since Friday.

There were big increases made to assessments of all the Baltic Exchange's benchmark routes for capesizes on Monday, particularly on iron-ore routes bound for China.

The Baltic Exchange's average weighted time-charter equivalent rate for the Baltic's five key capesize benchmarks was assessed $3,376 higher on...