John Faraclas
The BDI (Baltic Dry Index) gained 11 points and now stands at 1,282 thanks to the as ever volatile Capes… Looks a “positive” start for the New Year but reality bites as all other indices – Dry and Wet are in red! Geopolitics as expected turn sour; John Faraclas’ brief recap:
The culprits of the Dry Market – the Capes, saw the BCI gaining 82 points and now standing at 1,987 raises too many eyebrows… We hope all other indices go well as this time, if things continue, we will see disasters!
The Panamaxes lost 30 points and the BPI now stands at 1,391 points. Losing the 1,400 threshold is a warning… Hope things change for this size – “classic” pre and post Panamaxes…
Eight point losses for both the Supras and the Handies with the BSI and BHSI reading 967 and 588 points respectively!
Remember: One size doesn’t constitute a market; end of the story…
The Wets were also on a falling mode; the last published BDTI (Dirties) and BCTI (Cleans) stood at 1,252 – minus four and 813 – minus ten points respectively!
The WTI was up at US$ 46.24 which is US$ 3.71 higher from the 24th of Dec 2018 – our last report… Caution and vigilance…
2019 will be a crucial year for the entire shipping industry given the 2020 and other environmental as well as technological and geopolitical issues which will affect 100 centum the entire shipping industry…
The Geopolitics might turn even worse from what we expected so take cover:
The Migrants hit high with the mess in the Eastern Med rising and we also see mess in the British Channel with arrivals from France! Tear gas at the other side of the Atlantic in the border between the US and Mexico… Are you guessing what I am guessing with Nancy Pelosi’s come back in the USA? Time will soon tell! Meantime are we going to see a US Government shutdown? Watch this space!
The Syrian and Iraqi saga, given president Trump’s decision to leave, now gets yet another good twist and the withdrawal might be very slow or delayed as Erdogan’s Turks are ready to intervene. Turkey continues to pester and bully all of its neighbours, even the Greeks, “allies” in NATO and an EU country… SHAME as the powerful nations play dirty games with the small ones, but the day of reckoning is very near… History has plentiful of examples…
As we have numerous times advise you, the faulty line from Gib (Gibraltar) to Afghanistan and from the Caucuses to the Horn of Africa will continue to give earthquakes followed by the worse tsunamis you have ever imagined!
Caution and restrain in the entire East Med…
The Greek Government must get its act together on all issues before the Armageddon. What a shame to read the mess created with the International Hellenic University in Thessaloniki – Greece’s capital in the north and conversely the resignation of Prof. Costas Th. Grammenos due to the state’s interference and silly demands!! Already Greece suffers from low birth rate and brain drain not to say immigration – abroad! Wake up!
Mind the Balkans, still the tinderbox of Europe… The antagonisms there will be lethal!
Italy managed to go through the first hurdle with its budget…
France is in a mess too and Macron has to run the 100 meters under 8 (eight) seconds…
Germany must avoid and stop the revenge with some European nations as it will backfire yet again!!!
BREXIT with a good deal for both sides or a no-deal possibility will see a lot more twists and turns and let’s see how the Ferry trade will work in the Channel and other places to and fro from the UK… Meantime what do you make with the Manchester stabbings?
China raises the stakes in the Pacific with the issue of Taiwan; ultra-caution should be observed! Add the Trade War with the USA and see what you get…
Putin’s Russia raises the stakes with the USA following the arrest of an ex American Marine accused of spying…
Have a nice evening and continue to remain on guard from actions emanating by Pirates, Terrorists, Criminals and Business Hooligans wherever you are on Planet Ocean. This waning at the end of every recap unfortunately proved verbatim right given the continuous Pirates incidents, Terrorists attacks all over the place, Criminality to the fore and many scandals even issues leading to wars by the Business Hooligans…
