One of the challenges of managing money is the (increasingly-frequent) need to translate non-financial tragedies into action to protect clients and, yes, profit from the broader world’s horror.

So while most people react to events in Paris with stunned sympathy and/or impotent rage, the financial community is deciding what to buy and sell. And right now it looks like “sell” is winning.

Several things to consider going into next week:

First, the global equity markets were already correcting before the Paris attacks. Last week was the worst for US stocks since August, and the plunging price of oil combined with truly horrible numbers from major retail chains pointed towards more volatility in any event.

Second, in recent years real-world events have not driven the financial markets. Instead, the major central banks’ reactions to events have become the key indicator for most traders. So Europe’s turmoil might, perversely, be applauded by the markets if it ends the Fed’s rate hike delusion and spurs the ECB to even more amazing feats of debt monetization. Crazy, but entirely possible in today’s world.

And finally, this is the beginning rather than the end of a long process. The political/financial implications of Europe’s immigration debacle and America’s Middle East mess will take years to unfold. Elections are held at different times in different places, so the anti-immigration, anti-austerity, anti-euro tide won’t fully come in until 2017 or beyond. In other words, lots more brutal Mondays to look forward to.

By John Rubino

dollarcollapse.com

Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

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