THE recent slew of global economic data offers a mixed bag of conclusions, so we’re focusing on the big picture this week in the podcast.

The IMF may have downgraded its GDP forecast, but happily the headline numbers coming out of Asia this week continue to show some semblance of business-as-usual with little indication of any real impact from the escalating trade tensions with the US and China.

In terms of shipping it seems the markets are continuing to move forward,

Clarksons latest figures showed us that bulkers and boxships have made further gains this year, with earnings up 25% and 38% from 2017.

Granted, tankers are down 29%, but overall seaborne trade is still projected to rise 3.1% this year to 12bn tonnes.

Wildcards remain prevalent is everyone’s thinking right now, and it is almost impossible to have a conversation in shipping at the moment without mention of 2020 with good reason.

If anyone’s still suffering under the delusion that this is somehow a question for next year - think again.

With increasing oil prices, the shipping industry will need to deal with volatile fuel prices well before the low-sulphur rules kick in.

Helping Podcast host, and Lloyd’s List editor, Richard Meade put this all into context is a tricky business, but we found just the man for the job this week in the form Mark William, former head of research at Affinity shipbrokers and now head of his own consultancy business Shipping Strategy.

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