Report Summary 1. Investment Rating No investment rating for the industry is provided in the report. 2. Core View - The shipping market is in a state of weak oscillation. The main reason is that Maersk's freight rate at the end of August dropped to 2200, a decrease of 400 from last week, exceeding market expectations. The spot freight rate has peaked, and the subsequent focus is on the decline slope until the end of October. The freight rate on the European route is under pressure, and it is expected to break through 2000 in September [6][7]. 3. Summary by Relevant Contents Shipping Freight Index - **Current and Previous Values and Changes**: The Shanghai Export Container Freight Composite Index (SCEI) is currently at 1490, down 3.94% from the previous value of 1551; the China Export Container Freight Index (CCFI) is at 1201, down 2.59% from 1233. Rates on various routes such as SCFI - West US, SCFI - East US, and SCFI - Northwest Europe also showed significant declines [4]. - **Other Routes**: SCFIS - Northwest Europe is currently at 2235, down 2.70% from 2297; SCFI - Mediterranean is at 2318, down 0.64% from 2333 [4]. Shipping Derivatives - **Contract Prices**: For contracts like EC2506, EC2508, etc., prices showed different degrees of change, with some rising and some falling. For example, EC2506 rose 0.44% to 1497.1 from 1490.5 [4]. - **Open Interest**: Open interest for contracts such as EC2606, EC2508 also changed. For instance, EC2606 open interest decreased by 30 to 770 from 800 [4]. - **Spread**: The spreads between different contract months (10 - 12, 12 - 2, 12 - 4) also changed. For example, the 10 - 12 spread decreased by 17.2 to -341.2 from -324.0 [4]. Market News - **Policy and Geopolitics**: The US and China need to decide whether to extend the current tariff suspension agreement by August 12. Trump threatened to impose higher tariffs on countries buying Russian oil. Trump will meet with Putin in Alaska on August 15 [5]. - **Industry Developments**: South Korea plans to conduct pilot operations on the "Northern Sea Route" starting in 2026. Three Chinese small - market carriers will offer several voyages on this route in late summer 2025. The latest Global Port Tracker (GPT) report shows that US imports in the last four months of 2025 will decline significantly year - on - year [5]. Strategy - The recommended strategy is to short the October contract on rallies (take profit gradually as it has pulled back recently) and hold the 12 - 4 calendar spread [8].