Don't panic! (#997)

Despite all the ridiculously doom-ladened reports, the FTSE is still 32% higher than it was in 2003.

Despite all the shenaninghans in the banking sector recently, HSBC have just said that their earnings for the last 3 months are better than those for the same 3 months last year and they are predicting 2008 pre-tax profits of $22 billion!

Yes, count them:

TWENTY-TWO BILLION DOLLARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!