News Brief:

Shipbuilding News:

* RCL splashes out $46m on boxship duo at Yangzijiang

* Sungdong in talks for crude tankers

* HHI-labor union negotiation fails

* DSME uses big data to forecast market

Shipping News:

* China Merchants and Sinotrans & CSC start merger talks

* CS Haisheng benefits from $1.3m in state subsidies

* Aframaxes could face headwinds after the winter season

Steel News:

* Iron ore holds near 4-month low as Shanghai steel struggles

Energy News:

* Oil prices drop on ample supplies

Biz China:

* Chinese economy predicted to grow about 7% this year: Xi

* Baltic Dry Index

)

BDI      560            (-19

()

BCI      809            -72

          ()

BPI      514 -20

BSI      523            ()

-10

BHSI    304             ()

-3

* TC Avg ($/day)

BCI  5T/C       6,280       ()

-375

()

BPI  4T/C       4,108       -161

BSI  6T/C       5,466       ()

-104

* Exchange Rate

USD / KRW   1,161.3

USD / RMB    6.3750

* Crude Future ($/barrel)

WTI       40.92

Brent     44.70

* Buker  (Singapore, $/ton)

 IF380      IFO180     MDO     MGO

224.00      234.00     419.00   429.00