Japan crisis - the worlds economic outlook?

Out,_Vile_Jelly

Not sure if this has already been posted, but was amused by this article on panic buying around the world: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8388379/Japan-nuclear-fears-prompt-panic-buying-around-world.html I guess there's always money to be made from sheep.

edinburgher

Not sure if this has already been posted, but was amused by this article on panic buying around the world: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...und-world.html I guess there's always money to be made from sheep.

This made me chuckle:

China’s Ministry of Health said an adult would need to swallow 3kg (6.6lbs) of salt at one sitting to prevent radiation poisoning, and the country's largest salt maker, China National Salt Industry Corp., issued a statement saying it had ample reserves and that "panic-buying and hoarding is unnecessary”.

I'd be willing to guess that 3kg of salt would be a lethal dose? Or, as we call it in Glasgow, standard seasoning for a fish supper

ninky_2

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

Not sure if this has already been posted, but was amused by this article on panic buying around the world: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8388379/Japan-nuclear-fears-prompt-panic-buying-around-world.html I guess there's always money to be made from sheep.

:rotfl:you've got to laugh or you cry.

i guess when people feel powerless they do crazy things.

the best advice seems to be from the bulgarian who said to drink red wine. whisky has a similar (stonger) impact on the nerves.

worldtraveller

UK banks have around £136 billion of exposure to crisis-struck Japan, the City watchdog has said.

The estimate from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) comes as the country battles to stave off a nuclear meltdown following its devastating earthquake and tsunami.

But the FSA said it was "too soon" to estimate the scale of losses for insurers from the disaster.

Its comments follow fears over a mammoth claims bill for insurers, which has sent shares in the sector plunging since last Friday's events.

News of the banking exposure also comes at a difficult time for the sector, which has been left reeling on concerns over vulnerability to debt-laden Portugal - which suffered a credit ratings downgrade.

The FSA said it was trying to establish the total impact Japan's disaster will have on the UK's financial sector. The £136 billion bank exposure estimate, which is based on Bank of England figures, includes loans to Japanese firms in Britain and holdings in Japanese government debt.

David Rule of the FSA's prudential risk team, said: "The risk we think is manageable on the banking side. On the insurance side it's early days."

One estimate earlier this week put the potential claims bill from just the earthquake at as much as £22 billion.

Reinsurers - which insure insurers - are thought to be most at risk, with concerns 2011 profits could be completely wiped out as the Japanese tragedy adds to a series of recent natural disasters, including the New Zealand earthquake and Australian floods.

Shares in Catlin, a Lloyd's insurer, have fallen 8% in the past week, while fellow groups Beazley and Hiscox have slumped 9% and 4% respectively since last Friday.

PA

Generali

ninky wrote: »

the aboriginals might beg to differ.

They're migrants too. They got here a long time before white people but they are migrants none the less.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

General Motors says it is suspending production at its Shreveport Assembly plant in Louisiana in the US next week because of a parts shortage resulting from the crisis in Japan, Reuters reports.

..........

MrEnglish

What will happen to house prices in Japan now, half a million homeless will need somewhere to live.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

MrEnglish wrote: »

What will happen to house prices in Japan now, half a million homeless will need somewhere to live.

Shares in infrastructure companies rise?

ILW

edinburgher wrote: »

Seconded - too many odious views passed off as jokes or serious debate on these forums.

Be fair, it was Ninky that made the original point.

MrEnglish

hundreds of thousands of homes lost and more than that people now homeless.

Where will they all live in a few months time? They cant go back to same area if the radiation is bad.

I think rents and house prices in Tokyo may go up, but the Japanese economy is even more unstable now so who knows?