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The earthquake and the subsequent tsunami in Japan are a tremendous disaster. Thousands of people have died and many more lost their loved ones.

My sympathy goes to all victims. There could be even a catastrophe now with the nuclear power plant. But in the financial world there is no such thing as sympathy. It is all about profit and panic.

On March 14, the first trading day after the earthquake, the Nikkei lost 6.2% in value. Today, the 15th, at the moment of writing, the Nikkei has lost another 14%, probably fueled by the news on the nuclear radiation leaks. In one-and-half day, the Nikkei has now thus lost almost 20% of its value.

Market conditions seem to be as ambivalent as the weather these days. Last year was marked by uncertainty and turmoil, resulting in volatility that had not been seen since the end of 2008. However, recently stocks and commodities have been rising like crazy over the past seven months, and volatility has been squeezed out of the currency markets and hit new 3-year lows in the S&P 500 Index. 

The Euro fell from its lofty perch last May due to debt and deficit issues with its smaller member states, but versus the Dollar, it seems trapped at the moment in a kind of limbo-land.