Florida tourism industry frets about more fallout

The health of Florida’s $50 billion tourism industry is going to be determined as much by Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida as by Mickey Mouse or Shamu in the coming months.

The threat of war with Iraq, further terrorist attacks and plunging consumer confidence have created an uncertainty in Orlando, the heart of the state’s tourism industry, not seen in a decade, experts say.

Attendance at Walt Disney World, above, was down 11 percent for the year, according to analysts’ estimates from Prudential Financial.

Wall Street

Dow continues streak

The Dow Jones industrials posted their eighth straight week of gains ” and the biggest two-month advance in more than 15 years ” despite a day of modest declines Friday, as investors opted to cash in some quick profits.

Analysts said Friday’s drop on light trading wasn’t particularly surprising after blue-chip stocks surged 255 points Wednesday on better-than-expected economic data, the Dow’s best day before Thanksgiving ever.

The Dow fell 35.59, or 0.4 percent, to close Friday at 8,896.09. The broader market also finished lower.

Toy manufacturer

Hasbro fined $7.7 million for price-fixing deals

Britain’s trading watchdog on Friday fined the British arm of U.S. toy manufacturer Hasbro Inc. $7.7 million for preventing distributors selling its toys and games below prices fixed by the company.

It was the largest fine imposed by the Office of Fair Trading since it gained new powers in March 2000 to crack down on anticompetitive practices.

The Office of Fair Trading found that Hasbro UK, maker of Sindy, Action Man and My Little Pony, and 10 distributors broke competition law by entering into price-fixing agreements.