The first news about the Beijing dust storm came from a promotional text message from an air purifier brand: “Sandstorm is coming! ……”
This is very reminiscent of the little story of “selling cloth on a sunny day and umbrellas on a rainy day”. It is not only about a mindset, but also shows that each event can have a different impact on different industries, companies, and individuals.
Another example is the “longevity risk” often mentioned in the insurance industry, which may come as a shock to those hearing it for the first time. But both insurance companies and Social Security are paying more for pensions and health insurance as people live longer, so longevity is a risk for these organizations.
When bad weather or disaster strikes, businesses that provide essential goods and services help people get through it. We cannot blame them for profiting from national disasters just because they have a tailwind.
The question is whether it is fair trade, i.e., whether companies are using disasters to monopolize markets, raise prices, or otherwise profit by improper means.