News / Container futures trading trend suggests no end to Red Sea crisis this year

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Trading of China’s Asia-North Europe container shipping futures saw double-digit gains for early 2025 freight levels, indicating that shippers believe the Houthis will continue to terrorise shipping in the Red Sea into next year.

Yesterday, from a week ago, the EC2502 (February 2025) and EC2504 (April 2025) contracts gained 17%, to 3,711 points, and 27%, to 3,097 points, respectively.

Around 8,000 to 15,000 contracts are bought and sold daily.

The new EC2506 (June 2025) contract gained 32% since it was released for trading ...