Guy Stephens: Going viral - coronavirus and the investment implications

We all know that no news travels as fast as bad news. There is a reason why the rapid distribution of a news item is referred to as ‘going viral' but for the first time, the synonym and the subject are the same thing. It, therefore, matters more than ever, when assessing the impact on investment markets, that we cut through the media frenzy and establish what the facts are. The rational reaction is to refer back to precedent such as SARS or Swine Flu and conclude that this will pass, the headlines will move on and the markets will recover. There may be some economic impact, principally i...