Does A Falling Baltic Dry Index Mean The Sky Is Falling Too?

Does A Falling Baltic Dry Index Mean The Sky Is Falling Too?

This week we tweeted that the Baltic Dry Index, traditionally a leading indicator of world economic growth, hit an all-time low, dipping under 290 points. The index has been falling steadily since August 2015, when it peaked at just over 1200. The sharp drop is the result of several factors, including increased freighter construction in China and falling commodity prices, particularly oil.

The BDI has historically been linked to overall global economic health because it tracks the price of shipping raw materials like coal, iron, or grain via cargo ship and is therefore closely association with...