Comments on: Baltic Dry Index Tanks http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks.html Sun, 22 Nov 2009 06:06:33 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks.html#comment-18182 Anonymous Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:03:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks/#comment-18182 What is the left hand column measuring? Is that dollars/ton/day, or dollars /container/day or /week or mile?<br/>I understand it is an average of rates for different size ships.<br/>Thanks in advance. What is the left hand column measuring? Is that dollars/ton/day, or dollars /container/day or /week or mile?
I understand it is an average of rates for different size ships.
Thanks in advance.

]]> By: Avl Guy http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks.html#comment-18178 Avl Guy Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:27:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks/#comment-18178 The LA Times article cited above is 4 weeks old, but more curiously, does not say if the percentage-changes cited in exports and imports are in # of containers, tonnage, or dollar-value.<br/>Nada on any of that...just another reporter cited numbers like a trained parrot.<br/><br/>Equally bad, it does not say WHAT exactly was being exported by the US out of the LA & Long Beach ports. Are the increases in exports GM SUVs & Hummers? music CDs? Caterpillar & Deere heavy equipment? Boeing jets shipped in pieces? Replacement parts for military jets and other military items sold in previous years? Fertilizer and ag products from Monsanto & ADM?<br/><br/>The export mix makes a huge difference cuz some of the examples cited by me have notorious economic & political cycles (like commercial aircraft and military sales) that place a glass ceiling on their ability to be a part of a stable export policy. The LA Times article cited above is 4 weeks old, but more curiously, does not say if the percentage-changes cited in exports and imports are in # of containers, tonnage, or dollar-value.
Nada on any of that…just another reporter cited numbers like a trained parrot.

Equally bad, it does not say WHAT exactly was being exported by the US out of the LA & Long Beach ports. Are the increases in exports GM SUVs & Hummers? music CDs? Caterpillar & Deere heavy equipment? Boeing jets shipped in pieces? Replacement parts for military jets and other military items sold in previous years? Fertilizer and ag products from Monsanto & ADM?

The export mix makes a huge difference cuz some of the examples cited by me have notorious economic & political cycles (like commercial aircraft and military sales) that place a glass ceiling on their ability to be a part of a stable export policy.

]]> By: Cash Mundy http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks.html#comment-18133 Cash Mundy Mon, 29 Sep 2008 06:19:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks/#comment-18133 The LA Times article cited above says:<br/><i>From January to July, exports jumped about 23% compared with the same period of 2007 at the nation's two busiest container ports, Los Angeles and Long Beach.</i><br/><br/> A sensible economic policy would as a medium-term if not near-term goal be designed to increase the ratio of exports to imports in order to reduce foreign debt levels and fund the new trillions of expenditures. Exports have been the one bright spot in the overall US economic situation, and that should be capitalised upon.<br/><br/> Fat chance, of course. The apparatchiks are looking no farther than immediate fire-fighting, ongoing nest-feathering and the upcoming elections. The LA Times article cited above says:
From January to July, exports jumped about 23% compared with the same period of 2007 at the nation’s two busiest container ports, Los Angeles and Long Beach.

A sensible economic policy would as a medium-term if not near-term goal be designed to increase the ratio of exports to imports in order to reduce foreign debt levels and fund the new trillions of expenditures. Exports have been the one bright spot in the overall US economic situation, and that should be capitalised upon.

Fat chance, of course. The apparatchiks are looking no farther than immediate fire-fighting, ongoing nest-feathering and the upcoming elections.

]]> By: mike http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks.html#comment-18120 mike Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:25:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks/#comment-18120 I'm no meteorologist but it is raining signs of global recession.<br/><br/>Since there is obviously a strong correlation between commodities and BDI, especially crude oil, I would be interested if someone could do some cost accounting and break down transport cost for the average barrel of crude coming from the middle east to the final destination. I’m no meteorologist but it is raining signs of global recession.

Since there is obviously a strong correlation between commodities and BDI, especially crude oil, I would be interested if someone could do some cost accounting and break down transport cost for the average barrel of crude coming from the middle east to the final destination.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks.html#comment-18119 Anonymous Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:17:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/09/baltic-dry-index-tanks/#comment-18119 Yves,<br/><br/>Here is a great article about shipping from Asia, which confirms the fall of the Baltic Index and gives detailed percentages of exports and imports into Long beach Harbor:<br/><br/>http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ports2-2008sep02,0,2483346.story Yves,

Here is a great article about shipping from Asia, which confirms the fall of the Baltic Index and gives detailed percentages of exports and imports into Long beach Harbor:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ports2-2008sep02,0,2483346.story

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