“Bird flu is one of those X-factors that might disrupt the global
economy. A virus (the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus type A,
sub-type H5N1) has been infecting poultry and other birds in Asia and
North America in waves over the past year and a half. So far, it has
led to 53 human deaths out of 97 confirmed cases. Scientists fear the
virus could spread rapidly, mutating adaptively through pigs, other
animals or humans, exchanging genetic material to reassert itself into
a more infectious sub-type against which humans lack immunity and
existing vaccines confer no protection,” writes Alex Erskine in CFO
magazine.

A more recent article suggests that China is playing silly buggers
again, as they did for a time with respect to SARS. More rumours of
China’s mooted currency revaluation has pushed gold prices higher
overnight. Oil hit US$60 and Wall Street fell out of bed.
Expect lots of red ink in Asian share markets today. Markets have
virtually ignored the rising price of oil, but its price has reached
that indefinable point that any threat implies when markets take fright.

Read more on the Henry Thornton website here.