[CQ-Contest] Stock market recovers in wake of V31DX public statement

[John Downing]

European and US domestic markets staged a recovery today in the wake of 
a public statement from the Cuba Libre Contest Club regarding their poor
showing over the weekend from the well known V31DX contest radio
station.

Investors worldwide noted the oft cited relationship between the solar 
flux index and stock market performance have looked to the benchmark
V31DX
contest activity as an early stock market indicator.  Asian markets 
were hit first on Thursday and Friday before the CQ World Wide DX
Contest
weekend as investors headed for the exits noting the absence of V31DX
from
the airwaves.  Over the weekend rumors of lack of multipliers and low
QSO
rates from V31DX caused a rising tide of panic in stock markets
worldwide.
Abby Cohen, noted Goldman Sachs bull, interviewed over the weekend, had
a worried look when she commented "I just don't know, they're really 
struggling down there.  We never really heard them on 160 and they seem
to be only running US stations despite many DX stations calling them. 
They
can't seem to hear anything."  

Markets staged a worldwide sell-off on Monday as news of the poor V31DX
showing spread worldwide and the Cuba Libre Contesters returning from 
Belize were unavailable for comment.  This morning the Cuba Libre group in
a press release noted: "Hey, as far as we could tell band conditions were
good and everyone seemed to be having a great time.  We just couldn't hear
any signal less than S-9 because of an arcing 16 kilovolt power transformer
just outside the station!"  Investors, reassured that the V31DX benchmark was
only affected by local conditions, came back to the markets in droves setting
trading volume records.  Club members received thank-you email from Treasury
Secretary Rubin noting their contribution to the temporary reduction of 
interest rates in the middle of a Treasury bill auction.

Detailed report to follow.

With tongue firmly in cheek,

John W2NA, Vic KI6IM, and Tom KM6K
V31DX - The Cuba Libre Contest Club - V31DX


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