John Faraclas
An oxymoron momentum for the Markets given the controlled rise for the Capers and Panamaxes and the fall of the Supras and Handies AND the Wets. End game in Geopolitics; John Faraclas daily recap:
The BDI (Baltic Dry Index) gained 14 points since yesterday, thanks to both Capers and Panamaxes and now stands at 983 points, 17 points away from the 1,000-point threshold needed to bring even the slightness of optimism everybody feels as necessary with this much needed four digits…
The Capers’ BCI 2014 being “spoiled” from the triple-digit rise of the last two days, managed a reputable 85 points plus rising to 1,759 points… Enter the Dragon …err enter volatility! Caution!
The Panamaxes BPI with the 30 points plus broke the impulse of falling and now reads 837 points.
Bad news for the Supras and the Handies. The BSI lost 25 points and now reads 795 points… The BHSI lost 18 points and now stands at 521, almost 100 points over the last two weeks… Ultra-caution…
The Wets, following yesterday’s spectacular rise for both the BDTI and BCTI, had fallen. The last published figures for the Dirties and the Cleans stood at 1,053 – minus 35 points, and 861 – minus six points respectively…
The price of WTI remained above the US$ 53 – to be precise as these lines are written enjoys a US$ 53,65 level… It must, at all costs, remain below the US$ 50 mark – poverty, at best, cannot afford a nickel over this level…
The Containerships consolidation is a must as the continuous creation of alliances will trigger another boxing-out…
LNG finds more and more investors but on the other hand too much ordering will rock the market before same begins to trade and take over from the other sources of energy. ACE’s though will be the final winner!
May we put forward a question: “Whatever happened to shipfinance, was it right?
On the Geopolitical front the turmoil builds-up very dangerously:
The MIGRANTS remain the top story, needless to say the top issue. In the United Kingdom susurrus tells it all: the MIGRANTS must learn English. In Greece, Italy, Malta and Spain the MIGRANTS saga continues bringing Europe down to its knees; pity and shameful given the inability of the politicians and diplomats to short this out, whilst having all the means via the Navy and Coast Guard to do so. Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? ..err whose afraid of Turkish blackmail?? Eh? Enough! We urge you to read all our previous reports on MIGRANTS.
Turkey was once again, unfortunately though, at the centre of the day-brake news following another terrorists attack in the Aegean city of Izmir. Turkey’s futile involvement in the Middle Eastern mess given the Syrian saga, the Iraqi continuous mess, the ISIS and Kurdish painful issues, enters its most crucial existential period. A country to watch as a multiple of issues can trigger a chain of unstoppable regional and peripheral events detrimental for Turkey and World Peace, not just regional Peace! Those who use Turkey for their own means, will find themselves in a total mess; needless to say that Turkey will not be the same after the end of the Middle East’s termination of hostilities which will destabilise the region and beyond. Just take on account the national, religious and proxy interests and imagine what is going to happen. Turkey must also end the pestering of countries like Greece and Cyprus given the relationship in NATO and “aspirations” to become a European member… Equally the mega powers and the UN’s Security Council must get its (their) act together and take off its Bauta! Hypocrisy will back-fire. Turkey’s on and off flirting with Russia and on other occasions with Israel can only worsen the entire Peace process in the region.
Next door in Greece the troubles continue; a multiple of internal and external troubles from which the stability and existence of the Eurozone rests! The Greek economy is being strangulated by all in Europe and in particular from Germany, add also the despicable behaviour of the IMF! Flourish and kick-off of the economy is through development, but a lot has to happen, as the Athens Stock Exchange would be the only way with alternative investors. The Greek Banking sector is currently sick and the foreign investors must cover the gap and problems there. We have many times stressed the importance of the Athens Stock Exchange, but given the political uncertainty as well as that of the peripheral cross border problems – Turkey, Syria and in general the Middle Eastern saga and other world issues are blocking its development and unless we see the settlement of these problems, expect nothing significant to happen. The austerity measures imposed from Europe are detrimental for the Athens Stock Exchange as it makes it impossible for the Greek citizens to participate. Too much and too many taxes are stopping the participation of the Greeks to get involved in a place, I mean in a Stock Market which will only be good for them and Greece in general. Expect mega messy events in Greece and with Greece by others– try to interpret what we mean by this latest phrase. No elections are needed for Greece, only an ARISTOS team to unite the people and streamline the economy with developments, investments and obviously these need the creation of jobs, a much needed medicine for the 25 plus centum unemployed… Above all, the Greek politicians from all sides of the Parliament, must stop here and now “mortgaging” and selling-off Greece’s wealth for the famous 99 years period; this is a treason! One still wonders whether there will be a GREXIT or BREXIT first…Did I hear you say ITALEXIT or FREXIT???
BREXIT once again is on par and is included amongst the five most important issues on Planet Ocean. As said yesterday, in a decade all will be fine… For the time being, nothing much will happen; remember that “nothing matters much and very little matters at all” – you dead well know what I mean.
Record levels in the FTSE and also good results/level in the Dow Jones. Both these exchanges are the bastion of the Western free world; OK fine, hiccups can happen though…
At the other side of the Atlantic were president–elect Donald Τrump is ready for the takeover in the White House, the spies and top spy agencies are concerned – and may I say, upset with all the Russian hacking vis-à-vis the elections there. The winner? The final result one day might cause another Watergate…unless all these mess created is lies and damn lies… Remember though: Nothing can be hidden under the sunlight! (Ουδέν κρυφόν υπό τον ήλιον).
Other issues on China, Africa, Australia tomorrow.
Remind you of Events not to be missed;
The London International Boat Show, taking place from tomorrow 6th of January until the 15th of January 2017 at ExCeL, London.
4th UAE Maritime Forum 2017 – The UAE Summit of Marine and Maritime Leaders; on the 24th of January.
8th Marine Money London Ship Finance Forum to be held on Wednesday, 25 January 2017 at The Dorchester, Park Lane, London.
Capital Link Cyprus Shipping Forum (Limassol) on the 9th of February 2017
8th Annual Greek Shipping Forum (Athens) on the 15th of February 2017
The European Shipping Week is coming up in Brussels; be there between the 27 of February and the 3rd of March 2017!
Have a nice evening and BE ON GUARD where ever you are as terrorists might harm you.
