The Japanese are stockpiling bottled water and other drinks after being warned that unsafe levels of radioactive iodine had been found in Tokyo's tap water. That moved investors to jump on the stocks of beverage makers, but only a few companies are in a position to meet Japan's rising demand.
Japan's domestic food supply faces plenty of threats, including nuclear radiation, a crippled distribution infrastructure and a shaky electric grid. But there's some good news for U.S. suppliers: A shortage of domestic beef and pork could increase the market for imported meat.
New car buyers may go on strike -- again. Faced with the rising cost of fuel and parts shortages that could drive up new car prices and make some popular models scarce, consumers in the market for a new car may decide to delay purchases or turn to used cars.
As the crisis at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant continues, some worry that radiation from the damaged reactors will reach U.S. shores. Dr. Edward Maher, president of the Health Physics Society, and an environmental science expert at Harvard, explains why we should breathe easy.
Despite turbulent times, U.S. markets are rising again. But is this a temporary bump, or the return of a bull market? The sharp-eyed analysts of Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs say its the latter, and their money is on strong growth ahead.
More bad news in Japan sparked profit taking today. Radioactive iodine has seeped into Tokyo's drinking water and new reports show that the surrounding seawater is also radioactive, which could lead to a ban on seafood if it doesn't dissipate. Today another series of earthquakes rocked Japan, including a 6.6 magnitude tremble.
Markets hate uncertainty more than bad news, which is one reason they've swooned recently. But technical analysis looks at the patterns deeper than the daily news, and charts suggest a real bear ahead.
The Japanese government says the economic toll from the earthquake and tsunami could exceed $300 billion, considerably higher than other estimates.
Both a major buyer and processor of fish, Japan is an important link in the global seafood distribution chain. So the effects of the disaster -- including the ruined ports, roads, fisheries and processing centers -- have taken their toll on the seafood industry worldwide.
Not everyone is focusing on the down side of Japan's triple disaster -- tsunami, earthquake and nuclear catastrophe. Warren Buffett, for one, has faith in Japan's economic prospects. The Nikkei surged as investors searched for bargains in the wreckage.
Despite the recent calamitous events in Japan, Warren Buffett sees a "buying opportunity" in the country's stocks. Beware of taking his advice, however. If you are investing for a short-term killing, you are likely to be disappointed.
Japan's government is creating a lending plan worth up to $122 billion to help companies recover from this month's devastating earthquake and tsunami, a business newspaper reported Saturday.
Japan's Nikkei 225 Index advanced 2.7% on Friday, ending a turbulent week at 9,207. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index inched up 0.1% to 22,300 and in China the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.3% to close at 2,907.
