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

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.

Business
Although optimism still surrounds the new President, that optimism hasn’t reached the financial markets. In fact it seems the opposite is happening. Within the first 100 days Hubdub forecasts there’s a above 50% chance that the DJIA will have a one-day drop of 6%. Which at current measures would be a drop of 480 points in a day!

Will the DJIA have a one-day drop of 6% or more during Obama’s first 100 days as president?

Politics
This week with the new Stimulus package hitting the Senate floor, and the markets still in disarray, the Presidents path is fraught with danger. Despite the danger though Hubdub forecasts Obama has a 43% chance of retaining a 66% - 67% approval rating next Monday.

What will President Obama’s approval rating be on Monday February 9, 2009?

Entertainment
The 51st Grammy Awards will be on Feb. 8 in Los Angeles. The biggest award of the night is certain to be song of the year. Coldplay with Viva La Vida are trading as the main favorites with a 63% chance, trading second is American Boy from Estelle Feat and Kanye West trading at 17%.

Grammy Awards ‘09: Song of the Year

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards or simply the BAFTA’s are also being announced on February 8th. With the Oscars coming up the BAFTA’s should be a sign of things to come. Sean Penn is in the lead for Best Actor in both the Oscar’s and the BAFTA’s with an above 65% chance.

BAFTA: Who Will Win Best Actor?

World
The new Pope has had a tough time convincing critics he’s all for religious equality. First he caused outrage with Muslims and now the pardoning of a Holocaust denying bishop has got the Jewish community in a uproar. How does Hubdub forecast the Pope will deal with the situation? Silence is golden…

The Pope pardoned a Holocaust denial bishop - How will he respond to critics?

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 approval rating, BAFTA, barack obama, best actor, coldplay, djia, dow jones industrial average, entertainment, financial crisis, first 100 days, gallup, grammy awards, holocaust, hubdub, jewish, Oscars, sean penn, song of the year, the pope, viva la vida