Jan 26 (Reuters) - The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index , which tracks rates for ships carrying dry bulk commodities, on Friday marked its first weekly gain in three as rates for capesize and panamax vessels improved.
* The overall index, which factors in rates for capesize, panamax, supramax and handysize shipping vessels, was up 2 points, or 0.16 percent, at 1,219 points. It rose 8.4 percent this week.
* The capesize index rose 20 points, or 1.14 percent, to 1,772 points. The index gained nearly 19 percent this week, its biggest weekly percentage gain since September last year.
* Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport 150,000-tonne cargoes such as iron ore and coal, rose $121 to $14,057.
* The panamax index rose to over five-week highs, up 11 points, or 0.74 percent, at 1,492 points. It was up 12 percent this week.
* Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes, increased $87 to $11,958.
* Among smaller vessels, both supramax index and handysize index shed 4 points to 900 points and 577 points, respectively.
(Reporting by Sumita Layek in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
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