Monday marks the first day of the lunar new year, as well as the start of a fresh zodiac calendar - the Year of the Fire Monkey, considered a particularly tricksy sign in the Chinese horoscope.
One Hong Kong-based brokerage is upbeat about the Fire Monkey's impact about financial markets.
In its annual Feng Shui index, broker CLSA predicts a recovery in Hong Kong-listed equities, with prosperity in sectors including financials, gaming and transport and machinery. CSLA also recommends that investors not go bananas over its tongue-in-cheek predictions.
The reality, unfortunately, is very different. The is down 12 percent since the start of the year.
More broadly, the S&P 500 is down 8 percent so far this year, while London's FTSE 100 is off 6.3 percent and Japan's - largely in free-fall since the Bank of Japan surprised on January 29 by introducing negative interest rates - has lost 11.6 percent since the start of the year.
Chinese mainland markets are also likely remain a worry after data on Saturday showed foreign reserves in China fell for a third straight month in January, as the People's Bank of China continues to defend the yuan by dumping dollars. Foreign reserves fell by $99.5 billion to $3.23 trillion in January, hitting the lowest level since May 2012.
With volatility probably remaining the reality in markets, tell this week's Trader Poll which of the monkey's traits best match your approach:
