Markets Coming Down with Swine Flu

by The Investment U Research Team

If the markets weren’t walking on eggshells already, they didn’t need an outbreak of swine flu to put them back in the intensive care ward. We’ve been looking for proximate causes for a pullback in the markets, but swine flu wasn’t one of them.

For the ultra-cynical, start shorting airline stocks like Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), and buying any biotech that has to do with flu vaccines or heap masks. It’ll be the knee-jerk reactions to any whisper of plague.

But it might be too late to go that route for investors; the biggest gains have already been made. For traders it’s a different story – they should love the volatility this adds.

For investors looking for what’s next – we suggest taking a look at the list of your favorite companies again. You know, companies like General Electric (NYSE: GE), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), Alcoa (NYSE: AA) and Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM) to name a few “best in breeds.”

If this swine flu has the effects of bird flu or a SARS type of outbreak, then we could be seeing real drops in market confidence, and the long-term buying opportunities that we’ve been waiting for.

Companies mentioned in this article: LUV, DAL, GE, BAC, AA and XOM.

Any investment contains risk. Please see our disclaimer


Related Investment U Articles:

Comments

**By submitting your comment you agree to adhere to our Comment Policy and Privacy Policy.

Check out our selection of daily Investment Research:



IU Blackboard IU Archives


What is Investment U?

Founded in 1999, Investment U publishes the free Investment U Daily newsletter, along with many other products designed to help investors make better decisions with their money.

Recent Articles


Investment U Weekly Update



Search Investment U:



What Readers Are Saying...

“Your Investment U letters are gradually taking effect on me. I’m less interested in goofy numbers, more interested in intelligent strategy. Thank you for a sane, even-handed vision of the political and financial environments.”
Helen H.

“Thanks for this newsletter. One of the best yet. Realistic, balanced, informative, not full of contradictions or sales pitches. Grateful for the honest approach (admitting not knowing everything about the subject, so we can make our own decisions). Wonderful stuff.”
Mike P.

Questions? Comments? Feedback?