NDP's Orange Crush Could Dampen Markets

Analysts are coming out of the woodwork to explain what effect the NDP's new-found popularity will have on the economy.

World markets have started to take notice of the NDP's sudden surge in the final week of the campaign, with analysts suggesting the Canadian dollar's rise against the U.S. greenback was slowed by the prospect of Jack Layton becoming leader of the opposition – or even prime minister. That's not to say that the NDP would cause a wholesale collapse of the dollar or doom the Toronto Stock Exchange, but we can expect the Liberals and Conservatives to pounce on this speculation – which ought to be taken with a whopping serving of salt until election night – to bolster their attacks over the effect an NDP government would have on business.