Hsbc China News

The global economic recovery continues along the rather bumpy lines described in the most recent report on macro economics from BIMCO. Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO, Peter Sand, said, "Economic data coming in today dampens optimism for the Euro zone a bit. A lower of level of GDP growth and inflation is affecting shipping demand slightly negatively. Bloomberg reported, The European Commission trimmed its economic growth forecast for the Euro area and predicted low inflation to remain a threat to expansion for at least the next two years.

China’s aim of 7.5% GDP growth for 2014 is positive news for the shipping market – in particular, dry bulk, the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) said in a report published today. Despite being a little down on the 2013 GDP growth of 7.7%, BIMCO said the growth target of 7.5% set by China’s Premier Li Keqiang at his first appearance at China’s annual parliamentary session bodes well for shipping, trade and commodity demand in 2014. In 2013, Chinese seaborne imports surpassed the 2 billion metric tons, mark according to CRSL.

Japan is waging a public relations war as it struggles to control the nuclear contamination threat at home while playing down the concerns of consumers abroad. Fears of tainted goods from the battered nation are affecting trade flows, with regional weather distributing radiation particles and hysteria across Asia. In South Korea, panic over radioactive rain in March saw schools shut down en masse, despite the minute level of radiation posing no known health risks. In Hong Kong in April…