Shipping news sentiment

Each month we count the shipping market news that points to firmer or weaker freight earnings: attacks and detours, cargo demand, port and canal disruption, freight-rate reports. The index is the balance: +1 when all of it leans bullish, −1 when all of it leans bearish. It describes the news, not where rates will go.

Since January 2024

The index was above zero in 31 of 33 months. Trade press reports attacks, detours and disruptions more often than their easing, so the level says less than its changes from month to month.

How items are chosen and labelled, how accurate the labels are, and what the index does not show: method and limits.