And on the retail front... sales at most retailers in Kuwait are down by at least 40%. People's nervousness about the war is taking its toll on the retail sector, even though now would probably be the best time to go on a shopping spree and enjoy all the discounts designed to lure shoppers back to the stores. The strange thing is that the general "hanging around" at crowded shopping malls hasn't been greatly affected by the war, even after the SCUD missle slammed into the Souk Sharq mall last week. The outstanding weather this week must have something to do with it.

On the other hand, the Kuwait Stock Exchange is booming... as was Baghdad's before the war!