[blam]

"It didn’t get it, and I think this is the reason. Travel and “hospitality” businesses are going to get at least a small hit from the flu scare. At least a few people are going to cancel trips, certainly to Mexico, and perhaps elsewhere as well."

Cicero, we're living in strange times.

Markets Face 20% Fall If Swine Flu Spreads

World stock markets could fall by 15pc-20pc if the World Health Organisation (WHO) upgrades the swine flu outbreak to a "phase 5" crisis, a leading fund manager has warned."

[snip]

I just looked, the Japanese Nikkei is up 121 points. (?)

[AH_LiveRight]

Up 328 points at 9:54

Nikkei 225 8,822.03 +328.26 +3.86%

[Cicero]

I just read a piece by Peter Grandich, who called the market top within a couple of days, and also called the market bottom. Anyway, FWIW, he thinks the Dow will probably rise to about 9000 before it plunges again.

I am an extreme pessimist on the economy at this point, but markets aren’t always rational.