Many officials fear that the outbreak could be on the verge of a global pandemic, prompting American health officials to declare a public health emergency on Sunday.
Swine flu outbreak
20 cases confirmed in the US
103 confirmed deaths from swine flu in Mexico,
13 in New Zealand
6 cases in Canada
Various suspected cases in Israel, France, Brazil and Spain
The recent outbreak of swine flu is pressuring economies around the world as well as a variety of industries.
Markets, Futures and Stocks
US stock futures fell sharply Monday as the outbreak of deadly swine flu stoked fears that possible “glimmers of hope” could be wiped out. Asian markets also ended lower on Monday with tourism and airline stocks hit hard. European stocks began trading lower Monday.
Travel and Tourism
UK stocks also came down from a ten-week high as British Airways stock led the way, given the growing concern over the impact the recent outbreak may have on travel-related companies.
Health care
The only companies that currently appear to be benefitting from the scare are health care companies. Forbes reports: Roche ( RHHBY – news – people ), a Swiss drugmaker that produces Tamiflu, a treatment for swine flu, jumped 3.9% to 145 Swiss francs ($126.48) in Zurich. In London, GlaxoSmithKline ( GSK – news – people ) climbed 3.2% to 10.38 pounds ($15.10)–Glaxo produces Relenza, another treatment for swine flu. Sanofi Aventis also rose 1.9% in Paris while Merck KGaa ( MKGAF – news – people ) rose 2.2% in Frankfurt.
Image by eneas under Creative Commons.
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