Hubdub’s Hot Predictions this week, as decided by Hubdub users and staff, are selected based on their newsworthiness for the week. These stories are bound to be big news this week - and we have forecasts on how they’re likely to turn out.

General
The crash of a Colgan Air flight last Friday was the worst air disaster in the U.S. for quite some time, but why did 50 people perish? With revelations about the autopilot being on at the time of the crash, currently Hubdub is forecasting the crash was caused by human error. Significant ice buildup on the wings though has Hubdub forecasting the second likeliest cause was bad weather.

What’s the ‘main’ cause of the fatal Buffalo plane crash?

Entertainment

Since the Oscars Best Picture market was created last month there’s been a significant favorite all the way through. Currently Slumdog Millionaire has an 88% chance of taking home Best Picture, in second place right now is Brad Pitt’s the Curious Case of Benjamin Button with 8%. For all our other Oscar’s related market go here.

81st Academy Awards: Who will win the Oscar for Best Picture?

Sean Penn (Milk) and Micky Rourke (The Wrestler) seem locked in a continuing struggle for best actor. At first Rourke’s surprise performance saw him as the clear favorite for Best Actor this year. In the last few weeks though Sean Penn has picked up a sizable lead, and currently Hubdub forecasts he has a 62% chance of winning this year.

81st Academy Awards: Who will win the Oscar for Best Actor?

Often during the Oscar’s we get the wetworks from almost everyone who wins… This year it’s doubtful that won’t happen again. In the highly prized Best Actress category, there’s atleast a 62% chance according to Hubdub that the winner starts crying.

Will the actress that wins the best actress Oscar cry?

The price of oil has been about as, if not more turbulent then the stock markets in general these days. So turbulent that I think we can have a Hubdub first in that it’s truly anyones game as to whether we get $30 or $40 oil first. The market has had many wild swings, and it was only created last Friday. Right now Hubdub forecasts there’s a 54% chance Oil reaches $40 first.

Oil- up or down? Which comes first - $30 oil or $40 oil?

Trading percentages given are at time of posting and may not match up with markets after the fact due to Hubdub users forecasting on said markets.

Hubdub Top 5 81st academy awards, airplane crash, autopilot, best actor, best actress, Best Picture, buffalo, colgan air, cry, gas, ice, Micky Rourke, Milk, oil prices, Oscars, pilot error, sean penn, Slumdog Millionaire, stock market, The Wrestler