The gathering storm

This year's Sibos is haunted by the ghosts of Vienna in 2008, when a large chunk of delegates were called back to their home offices to deal with the fall out from the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

While (fingers crossed) there are no rumours of crashing banks yet (too much government money floating around now) the most exciting whisper in Hong Kong is an impending typhoon. 

If a strong typhoon hits, one delagates tells me, than the conference will be shut down and everyone will be confined to their hotels. If that happens will a shadow Sibos emerge where deals are done based on the residents of each particular Sibos hote?

As I watch the rain fall on Hong Kong harbour, we shall see if the hand of God rather than the hand of Fuld will have an impact on this year's show.