The BDI (Baltic Dry Index) lost nearly 100 points on a weekly basis and now stands at 1,169; Geopolitics in jeopardy… John Faraclas’ daily and weekly recap:
The BDI was down 20 points earlier on today and now reads 1,169 and was exactly 91 points down since last Friday the 4th of January 2019 when it stood at 1,260 points.
The BCI managed to keep an equilibrium so to speak as the Capes are notoriously known for its volatile nature. The daily loss was 21 points – now at 1,966 and the weekly one 37 points – losing the 2,000 points threshold from last Friday when it stood at 2,003 points…
Losses for the most favourable and most promising size; the Panamaxes BPI lost 33 points on the daily trading standing now at 1,137 points and 194 points since last week’s 1,331 points. CAUTION!
The Supras too followed suit with the BSI down 28 – now at 842 and down 104 since last week’s 946 points; another CAUTION here too!
A dozen points down for the Handies’ BHSI now at 524 points and nearly 50 on a weekly basis – down from 571 – that’s minus 47 to be precise.
All in all a downwards Dry Market and we “expect” the real opening in the Far East either before or after the Chinese New Year (Year of the Pig) – that will be a “good excuse” for the various prognosis flying around…
Falling Wets too; the last published BDTI (Dirties) and BCTI (Cleans) stood at 930 – minus 27 and 674 – minus nine points respectively. On a weekly basis though the situ was split; the Dirties lost 69 points – down from 999 (the alarms’ figure…) and the Cleans gained 17 from 657 points.
The WTI “stood” down at US$ 51.59 – dangerous and on a weekly basis we had dangerous added dollars as last week it stood at US$ 47.96.
MIGRANTS maintain the lead on all current issues; caution as the way politicians tackle this issue might create despicable encounters and spill overs…
The Gib to Afghanistan and Caucuses to the Horn of Africa faulty region begin to sake… The Wars in the Middle East, the Turkish bullying and undetermined actions to be, the US warnings to leave the Kurds alone but equally the Kurds to avoid provocations… and the… Russian agenda as well as Israel’s safety, the Palestinian saga in combination with the tinderbox of Europe still in the Balkans…
In Greece the situation within as well as the external affairs might lead to developments and elections might take place on the third Sunday this coming March; a possibility. The “debt” and austerity, the issues with Turkey in the Aegean, the Balkans and the Eastern Med create and explosive situation… CAUTION
The East Med too with the Oil and Gas explorations must be closely watched… the Pipelines and all the …streams might also cause issues… that might even lead to hostilities… Cyprus is in the epicentre…
Europe still in a mess… It’s not just the BREXIT for the “Europeans”… many more issues are like a Damocles Sward so to speak…
The United Kingdom lives the momentum …every single moment with Mrs. May doing her best. Can she do it or some MP’s – totally ignorant rock the boat… Very soon all will be done and look like an old story… whatever the outcome!
Now can you imagine a DEXIT… Everything is possible…
The Shut down at the USA doesn’t really bother president Trump… Nothing matters much and very little matters at all… We shall see… I guess he knows how to navigate in turbulent waters…
China might get some more reprisals from the US; the Trade War this time will devastate many nations and economies… The bankrupt Planet Ocean adds to this… Unless we have the all-out War here and now… You never ever know – still with “conventional” weapons…
In South America more issues surface: Venezuela’s regimes plays it dirty with opposition whilst next door in Colombia the FARC leader appeared in a video – he went in hiding six months ago and Argentina tries to reassert the financial situs… Bolsonaro’s Brazil the county to watch…
In Africa traffickers are …losing business vis-a-vis migration as tougher measures are imposed. A pandemic which must completely be halted… In DR Congo a historic win by the opposition with Felix Tshisekedi “calling” now the shots… we shall see what’s next there…
Remain alerted as developments might be very unprecedented in many fronts! Things might move faster than your imagination, so ensure your are not caught amid unpleasant situations…
On another note and tone at the Hellenic Centre in Marylebone the show: “Love during the era of the operetta” and the Vassilopitta event… were unique !!
An excellent idea by Mrs Anastasia Kolokotronis; the Trio Lyrico’s performance was beyond the 180 strong audience’s expectations! Four excellent acts in two Parts with selected Greek songs, some of the them being top of the pops on the international charts!
Part 1, Act 1 : “One day at Zappeion Garden*…” included songs : “Alex”, “You come like spring time”, “Don Juan”, “Babe”, “Loulou”, “Like a dream” and “My heart beats for you” raising the spirits of the audience who wholeheartedly participating in singing. Great moments of Joy! The excitement of the Trio Lyrico’s performance was only the beginning!
In Act 2: “Masked Ball” songs included “Roza”, “Some Flowers”, “The peasant””Gipsy tango”, “Vasso”, “Hold me tight”, “May you come for a while…” and “Forget” was equally well performed…
With the audience in high spirits and many feeling …home sick and the non-Greek audience in more than a jovial mood the Third Act was the …catalyst; The Trio Lyrico – Eli Anastasopoulou – soprano, Vassilis Asimakopoulos – bass and Neville Jason Fahy – pianist, did the …trick with yet another repertoire …. the Morning after …err “Next Morning” with the popular songs ” Tic tac”, “You will return”, “You have captured my mind”, “First Love”, …”Lips to Lips” – what a performance that was, “Words of Love” and love was really on the air !!! The finale before the Vassilopitta interval was yet another Succès: “Plouplou” !!! Bravo to all for the play and singing!
Tradition is important for all nations and the Greeks have a word for it during the Festive Christmas and New Year period: “Vasilopitta” – the cutting of a special made cake so to speak were a sovereign is purposely “within” and same will be contained in the piece that the winner finds after all the pieces are “distributed” to all those present in the process. We were lucky and honoured to have with us Tryfon Kedros, a 106 old member of the international shipping fraternity and Diaspora Greeks, a contemporary of my late father! He was very touched with the process and did more than well! Excellent; may the Gods and St. Vassilios bless you Tryfon Kedros. Tryfon Kedros is the example of the down to earth person! The lucky punter was Claudia Anton!!!
The last act in Part 2 with well know songs by A. Georgiades, Miki Theodorakis, George Mouzakis, Takis Morakis, Mimi Plessas and Manos Hadjidakis left the audience more than ecstatic; all the songs were theatrically performed with the audience accompanying the performers: “The Stars are vanishing”, “Our love”, “What is this which we call love”, “Who knows”, “Wide Sea” – arranged for piano by Neville J. Farhy, ” Never on Sunday” (The Piraeus’ guys …AND dolls), “All alone am I”, “The moon is red” , “I want to remain near you” and “Prepare your mattress”; there was also an extra song beyond the programme by popular demand: “The Old Year left us” !!!
It was our first day in the New Year at the Hellenic Centre, a lucky day meeting old friends and making new ones; the London Greek shipping fraternity in full force headed by Themis Vokos …err Mr. Posidonia with his wife and daughter Marina, Captain Michael Kounoupas and his wife Anne, Sotiris Millissis with his wife and daughter, Alexandros Kedros, Stamos J. Fafalios and many many others. Present were also the heads of the Greek and Cypriot Consulates Athanassios Rizos and Theodoros Gotsis, the former president of the Hellenic Medical Society Dr. Spyros Retsas.
Have a nice evening as well as weekend and remain on guard for actions emanating from Pirates, Terrorists, Criminals and Business Hooligans whatsoever wherever you are on Planet Ocean…
Uploaded : 18:15
Updated : 23:50