Messy Shipping Markets

John Faraclas

Upheavals in the shipping markets as volatility, uncertainty – coupled with unsustainability governs the day… Don’t ask the messy geopolitical issues which we briefly analyse further down this report.

We have numerous times in our previous reports, live televised interviews and statement in conferences over the last three years stressed the fact that volatility is the worse factor on all counts in the shipping markets/indices, as well as the fact when one or two sizes within the Baltic indices move up or down with extreme volatility, as it happened once again these last two weeks  – when the Capes in particular got nearly a 1, 000 points plus from the previous weeks, and Panamaxes had a bit of a good rise, but both are on a downturn again, so be extremely careful!

The dry markets remains 52 centum below the December 2013 closing (2, 227 points) and the wets are not performing either!

This is our thirty-second  overview of the shipping markets and geopolitics, today Friday the 22nd of August  2014, the www.allaboutshipping.co.uk news with John Faraclas in Athens:

The BDI closed down 8 points since yesterday 21 August  at 1, 088 and 73 points up since last week’s 1.015 points – coincidentally the same plus figure like last Friday… This plus points is… thanks to the capers; this is also the second week above the 1, 000 point mark..

• The BCI close down 43 points to 2, 535 points since yesterday but up 384 points since last week’s 2, 151 points… Volatility…
• The BPI was down 6 points to 812 points but up nine points since last week’s 803 points…
• The BSI was up 12 points at 937 points since yesterday and 60 points up since last week’s 877 points  
• The BHSI  was up seven points since yesterday at 413 points and 31 points up since last week’s 382 points.

So overall, a plus market, a market for hope for the lot, a market of caution still for us!

The wets now, with the BDTI down seven points at 701 which is 47 points down since last week’s 748 and the BCTI up 2 points at 547 which  down two points from last week’s 549 points. Caution here too!

The World Stage now:

• Ukraine: the mess yet  to come. The  “humanitarian aid convoy” has entered without permission into Ukraine; but who could have stopped it?
• The Middle East,  a total mess and there is more to come… Israel is embroiled in a very difficult case this time with its opponents and the Gaza strip issue, if not suitably contained, will be the graveyard for many on both sides. The IS is causing big headaches and its a pity those intervening today haven’t stopped same from the very beginning; they  knew it. All excuses are simply “bullshit” – excuse my french… Now the ransom issue, as it is also the case with pirates demanding same from shipping companies and family members is a very itchy issue, particularly when behind closed doors “preferential” deals are happening. SHAME!
• Libya:  messy too. Lets see what will come after  the elections there.
• The Far East goes on a watch-it case… add the mudslides in Japan where the country struggles against natural disasters….  Moreover the Chinese fighter plane which came close to an American military patrol plane over international waters east of China’s Hainan Island, is yet another escalation of provocation in the South China Sea, an area which we have focused and show you of what will happen during our Spring visit in the area. It was the fourth such incident since March 2014; see our video…
• In Africa the Ebola deadly virus makes waves… The speed and extent of this outbreak is ‘unprecedented
• Europe continues to be in a messy and unpredictable situation too…
• The eighth tip for your summer vacation: L’Orient in France, a very special place…

Enjoy the long weekend given the Monday Bank Holiday in the UK.

You can log on  herebelow to watch the live video: