Figures and Ships that Pass in the Night

2006: Cargo - Clive Gordon

Financial Planning done well, takes a long-term perspective, however it is within the context of the short-term. I have now added the figures for what happened in January across global markets. As an Independent Financial Adviser it is important that we remain mindful of the current economic climate globally. In January the FTSE100 rose 2.1%, the largest gains were made in China and the Emerging Markets. The Baltic Dry index fell 60% in January which is an indication that demand for global shipping halved (and some) which of course eventually filters through to imports and exports, although clearly impacting differently across nations. The thing about huge cargo ships is that they take a very long time to turn and require an excellent captain.  We all witnessed what can happen when a Captain gets this wrong in January. However one of the other lessons that a cargo ship might also offer is that small adjustments along the way lead to successfully reaching the desired destination, much like a good financial plan, which should be regularly reviewed to ensure that it is on track and adjusted to correct the course, making allowances for "choppy conditions". Other than the Baltic Dry Index, the world markets had a pretty good January 2012.