Tech Central Station looks at how Middle East stock exchanges have responded to the American intervention in Iraq.

Anti-American demonstrations, comments in Arab language newspapers, acts of violence against the occupation government of Iraq and even opinion polls have been sited as support for the argument that we and our institutions are unwelcome in the Arab world and have made matters worse there.

What do people who live in or invest in the Middle East and Central Asia really think about American intervention in Iraq? At a minimum, they think it's good for future -- and for future profits. Looking at the countries with readily available market indices -- Israel TA-100, Turkish ISE National-100, Pakistani Karachi 100, Egyptian CMA -- we find that every one of those indices has risen over the time period, from George Bush's ultimatum on March 17th to now. Egypt is up 19.3%; Israel is up 29.3%; Turkey is up 45.1%; and the-powder-keg-known-as-Pakistan is up an astonishing 67.5%!