Recent market sell-offs may have been more about paranoia than about real risk. JPMorgan calculations indicate that the potential impact of rising oil prices on the economy may be less than most investors think. But the fear factor itself also can't be overlooked.
Markets in Asia reacted to a surge in the price of oil, which crossed the $106 per barrel today. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index dipped 0.4% and in Japan the Nikkei 225 Index tumbled 1.8%. Meanwhile, China's Shanghai Composite Index surged 1.8%.
Political turmoil in the Middle East keeps growing, with the ouster of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, rebellion in Libya and riots in Bahrain. It's no wonder that businesses with investments in those countries are feeling nervous. And that's benefiting purveyors of political-risk insurance, who are seeing premiums rise.
Egypt's famed antiquities and tourism sites are reopening following the political unrest there. But heeding warnings from Washington, many American travelers are steering clear of the region for now -- disrupting the tourism industry in both the U.S. and Egypt.
U.S. bond prices fell Wednesday on violence in Libya. An auction of $35 billion in five-year notes met with little demand, while 10-year Treasury prices fell 22 cents per $100 invested. Stocks also declined as a result of the Libyan instability.