[mylife]

Read up on the Baltic dry index.

It looks bleak.

http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2012/02/02/baltic-drys-tumble-dims-coppers-outlook/

[hinckley buzzard]

I understand copper futures are a reliable leading indicator, and it looks like they are weakening rapidly. How long can they keep the stock market inflated like a hot air balloon?

[Timocrat]

The Harpex is equally bad: http://www.harperpetersen.com/harpex/harpexVP.do ( Measures demand for containers, proxy for finished goods)