“Social unrest never bodes well for stocks, as it generally reflects deteriorating economic conditions and unhappy consumers. Putting aside the social impact of unrest and the adverse impact on affected communities, we all pay a price for the failure to build a harmonious environment: reduced confidence to spend or invest, and ultimately a drain on the social security network.”

It was Robert Kennedy who said, “One-fifth of the people are against everything all the time.” That might be a comforting thought if you are trying to rationalise protestors across the globe demonstrating their disaffection for the financial, political and social status quo, but don’t get too comfortable. “Occupy Wall Street” is just one of many seeds of social unrest that are sprouting worldwide. We’ve had bouts of unrest in London, Paris, various Asian and African cities, across the Arab world and, most recently, in Cairo and Athens. There are arguments to suggest that a significant factor in the “Arab Spring” uprisings were economic – lack of job prospects for the youth and rising food prices. In the US, in Madrid and to a less extent in Sydney’s Martin Place, adding fire to the flares of discontent are income disparities between the wealthiest and the poorest, the sense of outrage at excessive corporate salaries, and across many parts of the world, high unemployment levels.

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