 |
FREE Health Freedom Newsletter
Daily reporting on health freedom, vaccines, natural cures and more - by the editor of CounterThink.com.
Join over 1.2 million monthly readers.
|
 |
|
(NaturalNews) Although confirmation of a human-transmitted strain of bird flu will likely have an immediate effect on the world economy, according to economic experts, the depth and duration of that impact will be largely dependent on how populations and their governments worldwide choose to react.
During a think-tank discussion, International Monetary Fund capital markets expert Charles Blitzer said, "Behavior, behavior, behavior is everything. We see a sharp down, followed by a recovery. Governments need to ensure the collateral damage from the sharp down be minimized so we bounce back."
The virus has killed 130 people in nine countries since 2003, but it has not yet mutated to a strain that easily passes between humans. Scientists fear that such a mutation is drawing close, however, and that it could be responsible for the death of millions.
Although the economic effect is already being felt by the poultry industry worldwide, U.S. Congressional Budget Office acting director Donald Marron is a bit more optimistic about the flu's impact on the world economy as a whole.
"The effects tend to be lower than you'd expect because people are good at adjusting," he said, noting the U.S. economy's resiliency after the Sept. 11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina. "A lot depends on the public reaction, which is difficult to predict."
Economists expect a drop in world demand for poultry (despite no risk of the virus spreading through cooked meat) and air travel. Conversely, jumps in revenues and stock prices are expected for pharmaceutical companies, as well as a jump in demands for cash from central banks.
###
 Get articles like this delivered to you FREE in our popular email newsletter
|
Printable Version
Email this article to a friend
Share this article on: 
