News Brief:

Shipbuilding News:

* CMG-CIMC in offshore business merger talks

* Hyundai Mipo inks MR bitumen-TK

* Hyundai Samho makes payment before holidays

* "SPP's M&A is for a win-win of all"

* “NB orders expected after 2H”

* “Shipbuilding restructuring comes to the finish”

Shipping News:

* China’s Shipping Industry Remains Sluggish Due to Low Demand

* Dry bulk shipping won’t rebound anytime soon says President of Union of Greek Shipowners

* Middle East LPG trade picks up on soft prices, freight rates

Steel News:

* Iron ore prices to edge down in Feb on lower steel output: CISA

Energy News:

* Oil jumps 8 percent as dollar tumbles after U.S. data

Biz China:

* China can manage growth transition without hard landing: IMF chief

* Baltic Dry Index

BDI      298          ()

-5

()

BCI      208          -1

)

       (BPI      289 +5

BSI      271          ()

-9

BHSI    197          ()

-6

* TC Avg ($/day)

BCI  5T/C     2,743           ()

-32

()

BPI  4T/C     2,314          +39

BSI  6T/C     2,837           ()

-90

* Exchange Rate

USD / KRW   1,202.7

USD / RMB    6.5314

* Crude Future ($/barrel)

WTI       31.65

Brent     34.39