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Swine flu and the stock market

(For the lastest news regarding swine flu and the stock market, please scroll down to the news feed).

During the panic about Asian bird flu in 2005 and 2006, airline, hotel groups, insurers, and oil companies stocks fell heavily, while shares in drug, healthcare, and cleaning product businesses soared.

There’s still uncertainty around the swine flu situation. Uncertainty however has proven to be a big stock market mover in the past year. Further, even the slightest new information about such a potentially explosive issue could have a significant effect on the markets. Here are some possibilities in the short term.

Sectors That Could Be Hit Hard

* Transportation sector: Travel advisories and recommendations to stay home won’t help transportation stocks; ETFs like IYT.
* Reduce travel and visits to retailers, movie theaters, restaurants, and other public places.
* With recessionary pressures causing people to cut down on luxuries and discretionary spending, the travel industry is in an especially vulnerable position.
* An additional pullback from a flu scare will have a significant impact on cruise line stocks more than hotel companies, according to Zacks Research analyst Sean P. Smith, who thinks those in the worst position include Carnival and Royal Caribbean (which both have close quarters and itineraries including ports in Mexico.)
* Energy: Fewer people flying and traveling in general could cause weaker overall demand for energy and crude oil funds; ETFs like USO.
* Equities in general: As we’ve seen in the past six months, a little bit of uncertainty can go a long way towards causing equities to tank; ETFs that index equities such as SPY and VTI.

Sectors That Could Get a Lift

* Pharma and Healthcare sectors: In anticipation of demand for vaccines and health services, shares of pharmaceutical and healthcare companies could appreciate; ETFs like IRY and IHE.
* Gold and Commodities: In the last year precious metal ETFs have been popular buys on days when panic seemed to set in; ETFs like GLD and SLV.
* Treasuries: Similarly, a flight to safety away from equities could make for inflows in bond funds thought to be very secure; ETFs like IEF and TIP.
* Industries that could benefit include those that deal in home entertainment,

If the current swine flu epidemic ends up infecting millions of people, then global GDP could be adversely affected at a time when the global economy is already in its worst recession in decades. If, however, the current epidemic ends up being about as virulent as the SARS outbreak of 2003, then Mexico will likely suffer a short-term economic setback but the overall effect on global GDP is likely to be rather small.

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swine flu stock market - Google News
Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:23:43 GMT+00:00

AstraZeneca 2Q Profit Up 22 Pct
NPR
The company's shares were bid up after the financial update, rising 4.2 percent to 3337 pence in morning trade on the London Stock Exchange. ...

and more »
Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:01:15 GMT+00:00

Singapore Air's Chew May Step Down After Doubling Stock
Bloomberg
... seven years as CEO, even as he grappled with a global recession, SARS, swine flu, record jet-fuel prices and rising competition from budget airlines. ...

and more »
Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:43:26 GMT+00:00

Carlyle to buy supplements maker NBTY for $3.8 bln
Reuters
... when consumers flocked to vitamin purchases in the wake of the swine flu scare. NBTY, which has a market value of about $2.3 billion, posted a quarterly ...

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 01:28:37 GMT+00:00

Swine flu vaccine to hit the market next week
Express Buzz
By next week the swine flu vaccine would hit the markets and anybody can buy it. All medical shops will stock the vaccine, Subburaj said. ...

and more »
Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:47:47 GMT+00:00

BioMerieux Declines Most in Five Years on Lower Sales Forecast for 2010
Bloomberg
BioMerieux stock had gained 14 percent during the two months ended yesterday. A drop in demand for swine flu tests, which had propelled sales last year, ...
BioMerieux Slashes Forecast; Shares Post Record DropSan Francisco Chronicle

all 9 news articles »
Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:17:08 GMT+00:00

Reuters (press release)

Special Report: Data dogs on quest for sexier statistics
Reuters (press release)
A bull and a bear styrofoam figurine are seen in front of the DAX board after the end of the last trading day at the Frankfurt stock exchange December 30, ...

and more »
Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:50:54 GMT+00:00

Research and Markets: European Market Report for Ventilation and Airway ...
Trading Markets (press release)
The regions overall declining health, backed by the outbreak of swine flu, has given vendors of ventilation systems and associated airway management devices ...

and more »
Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:10:33 GMT+00:00

Indian swine flu vaccines hit market
Down To Earth (subscription)
“We are still left with 90 per cent of the stock,” he said. Gujarat has used 25192 doses out of the 33200 doses of swine flu vaccine supplied to them last ...

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:28:11 GMT+00:00

Follow Up
Barron's
AVI also has a smaller government contract to create a drug for swine flu, or H1N1. One of AVI's strengths is the ability to come up with anti-viral drugs ...

and more »
Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:18:20 GMT+00:00

Think your job sucks? In Revolver, the hero is half office drone, half ...
io9
The great thing about real life is that Chernobyl and the stock market crash and swine flu outbreaks and tsunamis — all of that sort of spreads itself out ...

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