The Zhitong Finance App learned that shipping stocks continued their recent gains. As of press release, COSCO Maritime Holdings (01919) rose 4.05% to HK$17.72; Orient Overseas International (00316) rose 3.43% to HK$174.8; and Haifeng International (01308) rose 3.48% to HK$48.16.
According to the news, according to NOAA's latest forecast, the El Niño phenomenon was confirmed in August 2026, and there is a 97% probability that it will continue until early spring 2027. Among them, the probability of a strong El Niño occurring between October and December 2026 is as high as 81%; Maersk recently announced an increase in its 2026 full-year performance guidelines, and the basic EBITDA for the whole year is expected to be 10.5 billion to 12.5 billion US dollars. On August 21, the main contract of the shipping index (European line) once rose by more than 10%, to a high of 1,934 points, a record high since June 3.
GF Securities pointed out that the decrease in precipitation directly hit the water level of Lake Gatong, and the efficiency of the Panama Canal is facing a severe test; the lengthening of transportation distances boosts industry costs, and the flexibility of different ship types in terms of traffic congestion is clearly differentiated. Changjiang Securities, on the other hand, said that container shipping is benefiting from high overseas demand and limited Panamanian traffic capacity. Maersk continues to raise its 2026 performance guidelines to strengthen the resilience and dividend attributes of the shipping industry.