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After Liberation Day, what next?
April 20th is the date to watch. Here's why. L'etat, c'est Trump Here are direct quotations from President Trump's executive order...
Mark Williams
Apr 83 min read
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Liberation Eve Musings on US Auto Tariffs
Driving America into a New Golden Age! Automotive manufacturing world-wide generated over $3 Tn in sales of cars and their parts in 2024....
Mark Williams
Apr 14 min read
80 views
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CANZUK: A Political Pipe Dream?
Where does a post-Brexit Britain fit into the new multi-polar world and what are the implications for trade? In the years since Russia's...
Mark Williams
Mar 234 min read
120 views
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A Grand Imperial Bargain
Kong Hei Fat Choi! Happy Lunar New Year! In the year of the wood snake, according to a Chinese horoscope I consulted, business will do...
Mark Williams
Jan 294 min read
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A Generous Offer from the Houthi
This arrived unsolicited in my email inbox on Sunday evening: QUOTE Subject: Stopping the sanctions imposed on vessels listed on the ban...
Mark Williams
Jan 204 min read
143 views
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For Shipping, Is the Chinese Party Over?
During this first quarter of the 21st century we have become accustomed to China driving global economic growth. The world’s economists...
Mark Williams
Nov 5, 20245 min read
199 views
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Fun with FONASBA
This week I visited Athens as the guest of FONASBA, the Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers & Agents. This year is their...
Mark Williams
Oct 17, 20246 min read
99 views
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Shipping's Productivity Puzzle
Shipping demand is governed by global production levels but also by shipping's own productivity. The latter is endangered by the energy...
Mark Williams
Aug 12, 20247 min read
148 views
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If the Fed Cuts Rates, Go Long BDI
MACRO Macchiato 2024 07 29 We are, it is generally acknowledged, near the top of the interest rate cycle. Since 2022, the US Federal...
Mark Williams
Jul 29, 20247 min read
223 views
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Xi May Be the Reason...
Are disappointing economic news and increasing tension in the South China Sea connected? A wave of unwelcome economic data from China has...
Mark Williams
Jul 15, 20248 min read
228 views
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Isolationism Update...
In the 23 hours since I published my last Macro Macchiato post in which I argued that China, India and Saudi Arabia's actions show that...
Mark Williams
Jul 12, 20242 min read
165 views
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The Interconnected Global Community: Defying Isolationist Notions
In a world where deglobalization has become the fashionable political sentiment, the idea of isolationism seems increasingly popular. Yet...
Mark Williams
Jul 11, 20244 min read
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Li Qiang Indicates China's Priorities
China's National People's Congress speech parsed for nuggets of useful information. The Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC) happened...
Mark Williams
Mar 8, 20245 min read
136 views
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Would you buy a Capesize bulker today?
There has been a Capesize S&P “frenzy” so far in 2024, as one shipping paper put it as it reported the sale of the 181,400 Dwt, 2014...
Mark Williams
Feb 23, 20247 min read
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Route Canal Therapy
The Panama Canal Authority has taken steps to increase transits in January to 24 ships a day from 22 currently, having previously...
Mark Williams
Dec 20, 20235 min read
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The Future of Logistics?
China is increasingly investing in North Africa. Shipping should take note. The shipping industry is largely dependent on China for the...
Mark Williams
Nov 28, 20235 min read
280 views
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Global Biodiversity Standard
A Message for Macro Macchiato Readers from our Partners at JS Global Advisory While much of the shipping industry’s attention this year...
Mark Williams
Nov 12, 20232 min read
167 views
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Disorder and Conflict Include Us All in the 21st Century
Shipping must shoulder the burden, absorb the costs and carry on calmly Macro Macchiato 12/10/2023 This week, Intertanko has issued...
Mark Williams
Oct 12, 20236 min read
47 views
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Bigger BRICS and Shipping
Two news events of interest on 24 August got global coverage. First was the death of Yevgeny Progozhin, head of the Wagner private...
Mark Williams
Sep 5, 20235 min read
78 views
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Does Demographics Indicate How China and Japan Differ?
A number of thought pieces have been published recently considering whether China’s economic malaise is deeper than just a prolonged...
Mark Williams
Aug 7, 20234 min read
60 views
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