By Evelina M. Tainer, Chief Economist, Econoday
10/12/01

Equity investors were generally optimistic this past week boosting most major stock market indexes to pre-September 11 levels by Thursday. But a plunge in retail sales coupled with an anthrax case discovered in New York City and an FBI warning of further potential attacks in "the next few days" caused new jitters for the markets. As a result, stock prices fell back on Friday. But the retail sales drop doesn't tell the whole story and the anthrax scare isn't necessarily tied to terrorists. Unfortunately, fear doesn't add to certainty or optimism.