Checking in with the Ebola Day Traders

A few days ago, there was a sense among the addled death-shorting Twitter community that “Ebola stocks” — by then shorthand for a specific set of companies that mostly make protective equipment — weren’t a great investment. Sure, demand for their products must be up, and their prospects for making money must have improved, but their ability to rain down hot cash on fast-clicking maniacs was diminished. Of course the existence of a horrible virus that has killed thousands of people and will kill thousands more is categorically bad news, but that’s beside the point. What isn’t beside the point, is a better question to ask of our financial markets.

There was now mostly unease and regrouping, after a legendary (among Twitter day traders) run on Ebola stocks following the cases in Texas.

The subject, which days earlier hosted thousands of messages, had been overtaken by spam.

The day traders were either ignoring the stocks or thinking about shorting them. Many apparently did.

But then, mid-afternoon, a tremor.

Capital: it carries news quickly!

Once the Ebola traders figured out what was going on, it was a bonanza.

Some people got left behind.

Plenty of people didn’t.

Acknowledging the cynicism of this whole enterprise is only acceptable if you accompany your observation with solid buying advice.

There was a degree of sympathy on display. Not for the man with Ebola, of course, but for the fools who were short on Ebola stocks.

And so here we are. Ebola doctor: You chose to help those in need, and you are now suffering for it. For this — specifically for the suffering part — the viral day traders thank you.